Desperation
by Candace Marie
Summary: Luke saved his father on DS II, and now the two of them have gone into a self-imposed exile. What will happen when Vader resurfaces? Will he be the Hero with no Fear of the Executioner, how will Luke help him put the past behind him? How will Luke handle the truth of the life of Anakin Skywalker?
1. Chapter 1

Desperation

After the Death Star II

It had been months since the end of Death Star II, since the end of the Emperor. The Galaxy which had been elated with the death of the Emperor was still in an uproar. There were no confirmations of Darth Vader's life or death, or what had become of him. A great many of the Grand Moffs were still at large, as was the command of the stormtroopers.

Luke Skywalker knew the location and the fate of Darth Vader, and yet he didn't. He had reported to the Rebellion that Darth Vader had perished aboard Death Star II and had gone onto an extended leave, ignoring the looks he had received from both Princess Leia, his sister, and Han Solo, his best friend, he had requested only two things; the droids. He knew that Leia had told Han about their father and their relationship, could feel it in the Force. He had spent many hours with his father in silence, getting used to his presence. The conflict that he had sensed in his father was still there and sometimes it was very hard to be around the man that had been given two names and had yet to decide which one he desired. It was easier for Luke, who just called him 'Father.'

"Luke," Luke Skywalker heard, a simple statement just his name, and yet it held meaning. He knew that his father thought of his sister and was haunted by the memories of the times they had been together both ignorant of their relationship to one another. He knew that there were many things that haunted his father. They had retreated to the world of Dantooine, and he knew his father wasn't crazy about it, but it made Luke feel closer to Master Yoda and Ben. Luke returned to his father's side. His father no longer wore the mask he hated, but was confined to an oxygen tank. He had to go back for treatments every several months, the Emperor had been poisoning his father for neigh on twenty years, it was something that had greatly disturbed his father. The medics knew of his identity but were too afraid to say anything and Luke had been duty bound to inform Mon Momtha who had been shocked and disappointed to say the least and more than a little hesitant to leave Vader in Luke's care. She had been there when the medics had assessed Vader's health, and that more than anything had assured her he wasn't the threat she believed he was. Although she had come prepared and had ordered a yslammi in the room with apologies to Luke for the force-repellant object.

"Father," Luke asked, taking in the prosthetic legs and arms that had been replaced after their duel, after the death of the Emperor. They had been of a less-dense alloy, substandard material, and Luke had had them replaced with better prosthetics although they were still more robotic than his own. There was only so much he could do under Mon's watchful eyes. There seemed to be more color on his father's pale face today, and his eyes radiated the same blue as his own. He wanted his father to get better, he yearned for his father to become the father he had yearned for in his youth, even though reality told him this may never come to pass.

"There are some things I must do, Luke."

"You need to get better."

"I may never get better, son," came the tired, worn voice. Luke was glad he was speaking, there were days his father only spoke through the Force. Still, Luke was glad he was alive. He had been nearly dead from their battle and the assault of the Emperor but Luke had saved him.

"It will only take time, Father. What's more important is who you are."

"I thought we weren't going to discuss this."

"Father, it's not for me, it's for you. You need to find out who you are."

"And just who are you, son?"

"Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin Skywalker, leader of the Rebel Alliance, the Last Jedi."

"I was once a Jedi...a very long time ago."

"Tell me about it."

"It was a long time ago, son."

"We've got the rest of our lives."

The figure that was Darth Vader laughed and it turned into a cough. "You are a lot like your mother. She was..." many images flittered through Anakin's mind of his long-dead wife. "Persistent, she wouldn't let me keep my thoughts hidden...if things had been different we would have been together all of our lives. You shouldn't give me noble qualities I don't possess. I AM a monster, Luke."

"But...you saved my life."

"And destroyed many others. One right doesn't equate all the wrong I've done. I have to return to my home."

"And where is that, Imperial Palace."

"No, and it was once called...Coruscent. When we were married we stayed in the Republica...your mother was a Senator."

This was news for Luke who had often wondered just what kind of woman could love Darth Vader? He had briefly wondered if his father had assaulted his mother, or if he had tricked her with the Force but he couldn't mistake the love in his father's voice even if he had only heard his father's voice soften when he called him son. They had been married. He wondered how Leia would react to that? Would she believe? And how could he tell her when she didn't know that Anakin Skywalker lived?

"Tell me about her."

"There are some memories that are private. Bring me some water, Luke."

Luke did as he was requested. The figure of Vader sipped the water and looked around the room. A ghost of a smile appeared on lips that seemed to have forgotten how to smile. "You are more like her than you are like me. Although there is some of the look of Anakin in you. The eyes, perhaps. She had eyes like your sister's. She was good, and she saw the good in me, perhaps you get that from her. How could you be so sure that I wouldn't kill you?" he asked, the hardness back in his voice.

"Because there is good in you."

"You wouldn't believe that if you knew the things I've done."

"But the Emperor ordered it. You can have amnesty."

"I truly expect to be condemned and put to death, and then maybe Padme can forgive me."

"Padme," Luke repeated. His father held many secrets of his life. He had never even known the name of his mother.

"What did Obi-Wan tell you?"

"That you were a great friend to him. A cunning warrior, the best star pilot in the galaxy."

"One out of three, are true. I wasn't a good friend to him. I buck and resisted his guidance at every turn. I kept many secrets from him. I was impulsive and desperate. The world was a different place then, a difficult place and if we aren't careful it will be again. I'm not a politician but I know the upheaval of the galaxy and the repercussions it will cause," Luke gazed at him.

"Maybe you should talk to Leia."

"I will, but now is not the time." Luke retrieved a holo-recorder.

"Do you mind?"

"Go right ahead. Might as well get my confession now."

"Father..."

"Those were the days where Palpatine was Chancellor of the Old Republic and his apprentice was a former Jedi, the leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems."

"Are you saying that the Emperor was behind the Clone Wars?"

"No, what I'm saying is that he caused them, he orchestrated him, but I didn't find out exactly how much until it was too late. Until I had made too many mistakes to turn back." It took a moment for Luke to process this. The Emperor had orchestrated the entire war.

"He took an older Jedi, a respectable man, a man with a small fortune who didn't care about the bureaucracy but did care about something...good and he turned him into a Sith. He hired someone to assassinate Padme. It was practice, he told me later, to see if he could do it. Dooku was proud and he used his pride against him. Once he finds a weakness he pounces on it, as he did mine, as he attempted to do to you. You resisted, I couldn't."

"What was your weakness?"

"You already know it."

"Compassion? How can such a noble emotion be twisted to serve the Emperor."

"You felt it, son. I don't want you to reconstruct the Jedi as they were. You are wrong, Luke. You are not the last of the Jedi, but the first."

"Master Yoda said something like that."

"Yoda?" he questioned. "Yoda admitted his mistake?"

"What mistake? Father, please tell me."

"Attachments. The Jedi of the Old Republic were not allowed any attachments. Compassion was essential but not to the point that you became attached. Families, outside of the Jedi were forbidden except in extreme cases."

"And you were an extreme case."

"No. I broke the rules."


	2. Broke the Rules

I Broke the Rules

"What do you mean, Father?"

"Jedi are taken from their parents before their second birthday."

"You never knew your family?" Luke asked softly.

"I had a mother I had to leave behind," Anakin said, his lips pulling themselves in a tight line. As Luke watched his father's eyes flickered yellow once, twice, and then changed back to their blue hue. Luke realized he was fighting the Dark Side, and that their was something about Luke's grandmother that was tied to his descent into the darkness. "And I had a wife...and now I have children. Have you ever been in love, Luke?"

Luke could have laughed at the idea of it. Lord Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, was asking Luke Skywalker, former farm boy, about love. "No, I've never had that privilege, Father. You loved my mother?"

"With every breathe of my body."

Luke envied his father the love his spoke of, love the Luke had never felt, but was sure existed. "And she loved you?"

"I sincerely hope so," Anakin whispered.

Luke knew that what he had suspected was false. He had assumed that they had separated and perhaps that had drove him to the dark side. He hoped that his father would tell him why. At that moment See Three-poi came in. "Master Luke, I am receiving a communication from Master Solo."

"Patch him through," Luke replied. "If you will excuse me for just a moment, Father."

"Go ahead," Anakin replied, using the Force to turn off the holo-recorder. As Luke went into another room, Anakin took a breathe. He wanted to tell his son of what he had done, but it was still a struggle. Even after all these years, the memory of his mother's death still brought back so many emotions. He had seen the slight spike of fear reflected in Luke's eyes, so much like the last time he had seen Padme. He had been mad with rage, high on the power of the dark side, seeing betrayal everywhere, and he had had a chance. He could have saved her, he could have gone away with her, but he killed her. He would not make that mistake again. He would never again harm anyone he shared blood with. It was that thought that had briefly banished the demon. He wanted to see his daughter, but he had to give her time. He doubted that she even knew he yet lived. Luke didn't trust him enough, he thought bitterly. She was as of yet untouched by either the light or dark side of the Force. He put the thought from his mind. He wanted his family together. He would trust Luke's judgment for now, but there was something about his past that was nagging him, he just couldn't figure out what.

Luke came back in and frowned. "There are rumors about the Grand Moff's enslaving planets and star systems, that even the death of the Emperor wasn't enough to destroy the Empire."

Anakin wasn't surprised. "The birth of the Empire wasn't enough to destroy the Old Republic. Even the death of the Jedi Order wasn't enough for their fire to cease from the universe."

"What are you saying?"

"They are in chaos. They don't know whose in command."

"With the Empire's death who does that leave in command?"

"Me."

Luke frowned although he had known that was the answer. "And with the Death of Lord Vader?"

"There was never a scenario with both the Emperor and I dead. At one time it would have been Tarkin, but with the destruction of the Death Star..."

"The one I destroyed."

"Tarkin wouldn't abandon it. He was proud of that technological terror. I advised him to abandon it, to flee. He refused."

"He was your friend?"

"Hardly. His sole purpose was to take my place, to usurp me as second in command."

Luke shook his head, unable to understand the iniquities of the life his father had lived as the Emperor's lapdog. "So you could end this conflict."

"I could."

"What do you want?"

"I want to make things right. I want to see Leia."

"I don't know, Father." He knew his father well enough to know that he could easily twist what he was doing and keep the Empire, naming himself as Emperor. "It would mean letting everyone know you were alive. I don't know what would happen then. I thought we were going to destroy the suit. It would mean going back into it."

"No. It would mean letting everyone know that Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader."

"Why didn't you want people to know."

Darth Vader sighed. "Anakin Skywalker was a sign of hope. I did what I could to erase him from the history holos, but there was some things I could not erase. He was a legendary pilot, and I began to believe that it was the only thing we had in common."

"But you are the same man..." Luke asked confused.

"We inhabit the same body, but the Emperor believed we weren't. I began to believe as he did. There were times that Anakin Skywalker slipped through, and I was punished for my insolence."

"Punished?"

"I spent a couple of weeks in the med bay," Anakin answered shrugging. He stretched his prosthesis and stood, for the first time in days. "Luke, about Bespin, I'm sorry," Anakin offered.

"It's alright. It was a test. You know what hurt more than my arm was knowing what you were and knowing that Ben lied."

"Obi-Wan wouldn't have seen it as a lie."

"No, from his point of view it was the truth." Luke was learning a lot about his father. His father still hovered between the dark and the light, between letting him get to know Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker. He would talk about his life as Vader and then throw in something so human, Luke couldn't help but feel for him. He was not the machine people believed him to be. He was very human. And he had suffered.

"Your mother would be very proud of you, Luke. If things had been different we would have raised both of you, and Obi-Wan would have been like an uncle to you. But I ruined it. The fault is not Obi-Wan's but mine. I listened to the wrong advise, I made the wrong mistakes. Don't repeat my mistakes, son."

Luke was silent. His father truly was an enigma. He wondered if he would ever understand. "Will you come with me to Kamino. I want to see Anakin Skywalker again."

"Alright, I can't promise it will be more than a surface difference."

"You've broke the rules before. Yoda said that once you start down the dark side, it would dominate your destiny forever."

"He's not wrong, son."


	3. Chapter 3

A New Face

Luke would have preferred that his father end the suffering immediately but Anakin assured him a few days wouldn't make any difference and Luke bent to his wisdom while informing Mon of the action his father planned to take. She too was nervous but she trusted Luke's judgment. Luke smiled at the Kaminoes. "I trust you know the expense of such a procedure. This place was once shut down by the Emperor who feared an army of one man turning on him, but we've managed to keep a few things hidden, disguised. We have never cloned a Jedi before.

"Nor will you," Anakin stated. "You will be adequately compensated for the expense. And your discretion."

"There is a lot of expense involved in regrowing your limbs..."

"Skywalker...Anakin Skywalker," he repeated.

"The Hero With No Fear?" Anakin winced at the old title. It was one of many titles they had called him during the wars. She hoped she didn't enumerate his deeds during the war or his other titles. "We cannot accept your credits. Your victories and your sacrifices for Kamino have been told to me since I was a youngling. We thought you had perished during the purges."

"Due to an order put in by your Clones."

"You must understand the Kaminoes had no choice. Lord Tyrannus..."

"You mean Count Dooku..."

"I was under the impression that the Kaminos didn't have any loyalties."

"We are loyal to those loyal to us. For example Boba Fett."

"Boba Fett is alive?" Luke asked. "I thought he perished at Jabba's Palace."

"Boba is still recovering from a...rancor pit?" the Kaminos asked.

"Yes," Luke replied. "Now back to the procedure involving my father.

"Anakin Skywalker, you are the son of Anakin Skywalker."

"Was it not true that Jedi could not marry?"

"Yes," Anakin replied. "However, Luke's mother was the sun in a void. This is not about me. This is a business deal nothing more," Anakin replied darkly. "We are not here to discuss my life or lack there of, or the passing of my beloved wife. I would like to speak to the doctor who will be performing the operation."

"Yes, of course."

"I apologies on my father's behalf. This is of a very personal nature," Luke replied trying to soften the blow his father had dealt. _I have been very patient in answering their questions, but enough is enough. __No one has dared question me since I was a padawan._ Anakin said through their force-bond. Luke just shook his head. It had to be demeaning to answer so many questions and he had been patient for him. In fact, it had been days since he had used the Force for anything other than communication.

"Yes, of course."

"I will see to the Doctor. It will be a moment."

Anakin looked down at the remnants of a Jedi robe and tunics that Luke had found for him. He had found form-fitting gloves and boots to not make him look so robotic. He opened and closed his right arm. He knew his injuries were extensive, he may never be the man he had been, but he wanted to.

"Father can I ask you..."

"How this happened to me?" Anakin inquired.

"Yes."

Anakin would never be less than honest with his children. "After I joined the Emperor, I went to check on your mother, and let her know where I would be just in case anything happened. I took Artoo with me. He had dispatched me after my assault on the Temple to dispatch the Separatists. Do you want to record this?" Anakin asked. Luke nodded and pulled out the holo-recorder.

"The Emperor sent me to Mustafar to deal with the CIS leaders. I had already dispatched Count Dooku or Lord Tyrannus, Dark Lord of the Sith, Leader of the CIS, on an earlier mission, so the only way to end the war was to finish the job. While I was gone, Obi-Wan visited my wife and he told her that I had joined the Emperor and just who and what he was. She was worried, and heavily pregnant. She knew I would protect her, I just had to find her. But...it didn't turn out like that. I was drunk on the power of the dark side. Some things the Emperor had said wouldn't leave my head. When I saw Obi-Wan on her cruiser, I couldn't think straight. Obi-Wan was my mentor, my best friend, and your mother represented everything good in my life. I couldn't understand how they could betray me, and I was sure they had," Anakin felt something wet on his cheeks and realized he had been crying. Even as his voice hitched and he felt Luke lay a hand on his shoulder.

"I thought I had killed her. But I couldn't have or you and Leia wouldn't be here. I did something I promised I would never do. I used the Force against her. I frightened her and then Obi-Wan and I fought. I put myself at a handicap. I gave him a true fight, instead of going in for the kill, there were several times I could have killed him, but I respected Obi-Wan. He had taught me everything I knew. But I had already achieved a mechanical arm in another fight. He gained the advantage by using the Force to reverse the polarity in my arm, but I wasn't out of the running yet. We fought above the lava of Mustafar, destroyed all the securities keeping the lava at bay."

Anakin's voice had become hollow as he continued, "Somehow, he had gained the high ground, and even then he warned me. But I was tired of his teachings, tired of living in his shadow. I thought I was more powerful, and I jumped intending to deal him the killing blow and instead, he took my remaining limbs. I fell and rolled into the lava. I should have died. It would have been a kindness to kill me. It would have been a kindness to kill me, but he left me for dead and I swore revenge. It was a real dark place for me, even as I watched him pick up my lightsaber and leave with my wife." There were more memories, but that was what Luke had asked for. "I was a Jedi Knight when Order Sixty Six went down, the Order to exterminate Jedi."

Luke now understood more of the conversation between his father and the Kamino. There was a darkness within his father, but there was light too. That had been one of his father's worse moments, that was true, and he couldn't understand how his father could get to that dark place, and he hoped he never would.

"But Father we can make it better. You have destroyed the Emperor and the Empire, and we will make things work."

"I don't deserve amnesty, Luke."

"We can make it right, Father."

"Perhaps, my son. There are many sins upon my soul. I don't deserve to be anything but a monster."

"Father, how can you say that?"

"You don't know what I've done. I willingly joined the Emperor. I wasn't forced. I listened to the wrong advise and made my mistake, one self-less act doesn't make up for that."

"And being the Hero With No Fear? I want your help in rebuilding the Jedi Order, in finding the hidden Jedi. If anyone can find them it would be you."

"I spent two decades wiping out the Jedi."

"So now use your powers for good," Luke admonished. The Doctor walked in.

"Mr. Skywalker."

"Actually, Doctor, it's General," Anakin replied. He had never been simply Mr. Skywalker.

"Their appears to be a number of things we will have to do to get you in optimal peak performance. The poisoning of your lungs has weakened them, which you already know since I have had a chance to review your medical file. It appears your skin hasn't seen daylight in decades, so once the regrowth is done you will burn easily. You may be weak for several weeks while your limbs are regrown and readjust to your body, given the sensors time to work, to adjust to your body temperature and regulate the movements. These will be just like your old limbs, General Skywalker. The extensive damage to your lungs may take months to remove, especially since the poison functioned as a parasite, feeding off of your lungs, without killing you. It's a wonder you are still breathing, General. Your skin will have to be regrown, and in time you should see eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair returning. You will look and become the man you haven't been in over two decades."

Anakin Skywalker thought about it. He would look like the man he had been when his life yet lived. He didn't deserve it. It was the reason he hadn't had this done before. The technology had existed, he himself had worked on making robotic arms more human-like even though he hadn't used it himself. He had replaced his own limbs several times over the years, as his trust in the Emperor had decreased to a point where there was treachery from both him and the Emperor. Take the Emperor's Hands for example. They were supposed to be secret, they were Force-users that all had the intention of taking his place, since they suspected the loyalty he held for the Emperor was hollow. He had several Hands, and none of them knew about the others. But he had known. There was something about the Hands that bothered him, he just couldn't put his finger on it. "Thank you, Doctor. I would like to proceed immediately. And I must have your discretion."

"Absolutely. A doctor isn't a doctor without a code. Much like the Jedi, I am told." Anakin's lips thinned, wondering if she knew everything about him and was mocking him.

"The Jedi," he spit out the word, and his eyes flashed yellow, "knew nothing of loyalty. Breathe a word of this and your fate will be the same as theirs."

"Father," Luke stood up placing himself between the doctor and the man who had been Darth Vader. "Doctor, I apologize. You see my father left the Jedi Order on very bad terms. He's been under a lot of stress lately. Once this is completed, he will feel like his old self again." Luke watched as his father's eyes reverted to their normal hue.

"Of course, Commander. If you will both come this way, we will get your father more comfortable and begin the operation immediately. No time to waste."

Luke and Anakin were led into a sterile room where Luke helped his father into a hospital gown. Luke was able to feel fear, his father was afraid. It was why his mental sheilds had slipped, and why he had reacted so terrible. It was how Vader had acted, and Vader wasn't completely vanished. Anakin placed a hand on Luke's arm. "There is a Jedi that I have never harmed. I do not know where she has gone, but I can find her. I have never sought her out, and am surprised she stayed hidden."

Luke's ears perked up. "Who is she?"

"She was...my apprentice, my padawan."

"How can she be a Jedi if she was your apprentice?" Luke asked.

"She was given to me by Master Yoda and Obi-Wan for me to train in the ways of the Jedi. She was expelled from the order through no fault of her own. Ahsoka Tano," and with that the world faded away as Luke was left astounded. His father was going to help him. He would help him rebuild the Jedi Order. Starting with Ahsoka, and his father.


	4. Master

Master

"_Help me Doctor Arber, help me to forget about her."_

"_Lord Vader, I will do all that I can. You would remember during the rise of the Clone Wars that it was I that developed the Zone of Containment."_

"_Better than most."_

"_It was used on Jedi, I have no doubt that I can help you. I even used it on the Chosen One."_

"_I remember," Lord Vader recalled. "And that is exactly why I need your help. I need to forget about Padme Amidala. She had been a thorn in the my side for years."_

"_Even after her death?"_

"_That is not your concern. You will be adequately compensated for your assistance."_

"_As you see fit, Lord Vader."_

"_Betray me and yours will be the same as hers." He had returned within the weak to find her no better than a drone. Experimenting on herself she had lost the ability to function, and it had been a kindness ending her life. _

"Padme, is she alright?" Vader asked in his trance-like state. _He heard the voice of his once-friend, and saw the smile on his face, that manically smile. He was glad Padme was dead. How could anyone with a heart be glad that Padme was dead? She had been a light in the darkness, a beacon holding back the dark side. His master had been pure darkness, all the kindness he had shown him had been an act, he had manipulated him. 'I'm afraid, my friend, that in your anger, you killed her. _

"I couldn't have. I felt her, she was alive. It's not possible. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed, and he vaguely heard other words as he reached out with the Force to destroy everything!

"Father! Father! Stop this!" Padme was dead. His child was dead. There was no light, there was nothing left. Nothing but darkness. He heard the cracking of glass, the breaking of droids, the smell of oil, as they were destroyed. "Father! It's Luke, please." Luke. His son. As he came back to himself, he remembered. He had destroyed the Emperor. And he had children. Luke was there. His son. He was his son, and he was good, could some of his goodness come from Anakin? He struggled to open his eyes as he felt the light in the darkness. Luke was trying to reach him through the Force, but he had put up his mental shields to ward off an attack from any Jedi. He wished he could destroy the Emperor, he had to remember that he was dead. He withdrew his attack with the Force as his eyes opened and he focused.

"Are you in pain?" his son asked him.

"Every moment of my life," he answered, even though his voice came out a whisper.

"What hurts? They used anesthesia. I made sure." The man known as Darth Vader, surveyed the damaged he had done. The doctor was hiding from him, and there were small cuts on her as she quivered underneath her chair. Luke stood in front of him, unsure to reassure his father or the doctor. If his father felt enraged, the doctor could be in danger.

"I'm just weak," he whispered.

"This room would say otherwise," Luke joked. Darth Vader wouldn't have been sorry, he hadn't been in another time. He had never liked being sick or injured. It was then that he noticed the stale smell of the room.

"I can breathe on my own?" he questioned, still weak. Although there was oxygen attached to his nose. He could smell. He weakly looked at his arms. As requested one had been left, the right arm had been mechanical since the age of twenty, it defined him, but the left arm, it was flesh and blood. He twitched his feet, also flesh and blood. There were times when he was with the Empire that he had questioned his own humanity, but he was human. "Tell the Doctor..."he whispered to Luke, "See to her..." Luke nodded and Vader receded back into the void of his memories.

"_Your home?" Padme had stated, a smile curving her lips into a smile of invitation. "They didn't expect you home for another few months."_

_Anakin had smiled, "My padawan was able to tie up the campaign rather quickly. She's pretty well versed in politics," he admonished bringing his lips down to hers. "I would tear the very fabric of the galaxy apart if it meant coming home to you sooner."_

"_You mustn't say things like that."_

"_Why not?"he asked pressing his face into her hair, he inhaled, remembering the smell of her. "I've missed you, Mrs. Skywalker," he whispered._

"_And I've missed you. There are always rumors that something has happened to you and the 501st."_

"_My men are well trained, but sometimes mistakes are made. We aren't perfect, Padme, and neither am I."_

"_I know, Ani. Was it bad? How much longer do you think the fighting will continue?"_

"_Be patient my love, it cannot last forever. And you have me on your side."_

"_There is that," she stated, her lips curving into a smile as she ran her hands along his chest. Yes, she had missed this man, more than she could ever say._

"_As soon as the Separatists are brought to justice. We have discovered the Count Dooku wasn't lying about the Sith. Be careful, Padme. He is supposed to be a politician. It was how Bane was able to break into the Senate."_

"_Oh, Ani, my Ani," and she kissed him. "How long?"_

"_Two standard days."_

"_Then we'll have to make the most of it. Sometimes, I hate that our duty must come before our love."_

"_It won't always be this way, Padme. As soon as the war ends, we will be safe. No more hiding, no more running around, no more secrets. And I will confess before the Jedi Council. They can throw me out and it won't matter. The galaxy will be safe."_

"_We will have a family? Do you want a family, Anakin?"_

"_I have a family, Padme. You are my family," he said as he began to undress her and she let the conversation drop._

This time when Anakin woke up it was more peaceful, he reached up and scratched the top of his head, feeling the beginnings of hair. He opened his eyes, looking at the hairs on his arms. He was real. He was still weak, but he slid out of bed anyway, drawing on the Force for strength, it was like the days before he had become Darth Vader, he hadn't eaten anything or slept in weeks, and then later he hadn't had the opportunity to eat. It had all by liquified injection as food supplement.

Anakin had always enjoyed food and he would sit there because Palpatine ordered it, with the Senators who ate too much and know that he would never taste food again. The rage churning inside him at the unfairness of it, the pettiness as they squabbled, vying for his favor, envying his power, it was like the Jedi all over again. He was always bored over there pettiness, and that was when his dreams took hold.

He would dream that he was still a Jedi, that he had told Obi-Wan of his marriage to Padme and they had found a way to keep him in the Order. He was married to Padme, who had become...Chancellor of the Republic. They had two children who were strong in the Force. He had become a Master of their Order, and now trained younglings in swordsmanship, in lightsaber techniques. He thought he would have liked that. Then, Palpatine would probe his mind and he would feel the dream dissipate to be replaced with images from Mustafar, and later he would be punished, it was why he had sought out Zan Arbor in the first place.

He saw Luke enter the room and stand before him. "Father."

"I'm alright. How's the Doctor?"

"A little shaken, but she will be fine. Before...you weren't supposed to wake up. Something about the operation must have triggered something that happened. When the Emperor put you in the suit..."

"I won't discuss that with you," Anakin replied, his eyes flashing yellow, before returning to their normal hue. Luke became more subdued at the change in Anakin's eyes.

"I never noticed how much like me you look, Father."

"You are more like your mother than you will ever know."

"I wish I could have known her."

"So do I, son, so do I."

"As soon as your feeling better, you need to make contact with the Grand Moffs."

"Always business, always duty," Anakin snarled and then felt immediately guilty. "I'm sorry. Your mother and I were married just after the start of the Clone Wars. Because I was a Jedi, and she was a Senator, we had to put our duty before everything else. We had to keep our relationship secret. It was hard for us both. If anything happened to her, I couldn't get a message to her, every time I went into battle, it was a constant struggle not to use the Force to check on her. It was forbidden, using the Force for personal reasons, and it would have drained some of my Force powers, powers I sometimes had to call on during the battle. A Jedi gains power through understanding, a Sith gains understanding through power, someone once told me. You have to live in the moment not dwell on the future. I will help you find Ahsoka. I don't believe anyone else can."

"When a master and a padawan form a bond, only a great betrayal can sever it, unless the padawan and master chose to sever it. I fear she may have suffered through our bond. I should have severed it when she left the Order, but I worried about her safety. She was still a child. A Jedi, who didn't know of life outside the Temple."

"And your bond with Ben?"

"It was severed before our fight on Mustafar. It was severed when I joined Sidious. By then though, Ahsoka had been gone, and I hadn't thought to sever my bond to her. It is entirely possible that she felt my turn. I never sought her out. I wanted to keep her untainted."

"But you can find her?"

"I could summon her. I could have at any point."

"Father, we must restore balance to the galaxy."

Anakin wondered if his son had been told of the prophecy. As he squinted his eyes he saw a blueish form before him. "Anakin," the form spoke a single word. So many emotions tore through Anakin. "Luke, can you give your father and I a moment."

"Here to taunt me again?" Anakin asked remembering how he had showed up before the final battle between him and the Emperor.

"Exactly the opposite."

"You can't hurt me, Obi-Wan."

"I'm not here to hurt you, but to help you."

"You, a Jedi, wish to help me. You kept my children from me. You allowed me to believe that I killed Padme."

"A necessary evil, Anakin. To protect Luke and Leia, and Padme."

"What do you mean and Padme?"

"You will have to find that out for yourself. The truth is inside you. You allowed yourself to be twisted by lies, the truth will set you free."

"As cryptic as ever, Obi-Wan. What do you know about truth? About love?"

"I loved you, Anakin. Why else would I have dwelled on your home planet overlooking your son."

"Self-imposed exile. I wish I could go into exile, but they expect me to end this dissent. I can do it, I just fear they expect too much from me."

"Once you find the truth inside of you, you will make the right choice. I have faith in you. You will not betray my trust."

"I...thought that once I destroyed you, things would be better, that I wouldn't miss you. That I wouldn't still worry about not living up to your expectations."

"As I told you before, you have become a far greater Jedi than I ever could be."

"Obi-Wan...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, old friend."

"Will I see you again?"

"If it's the will of the Force, my padawan." And he was given a rare gift. Obi-Wan stepped forward and became solid, and he put his arms around Anakin as tears spilled down his face. "Shh..now, padawan. Everything will be alright. I always knew you would be the death of me, I knew how much failure bothered you. The fault is not entirely yours. I too, played a part in the Rise of the Empire. Everything will be alright. Padme's last words were of you, that there was good in you." Finally, Anakin's sobbing subsided. "I will always watch over you."

"He was glad that Padme died. He had never intended to help me save her."

"So that's what it was, I always wondered."

"He promised me the power to save her...from my nightmares. I believed him."

"Oh, Anakin. That's why you are different. There were many reasons Jedi turned to the dark side. Pride, power, revenge, lust, greed. Anakin, listen to me, you didn't do it for greed. You did it for love. That makes all the difference." Anakin finally dried his eyes.

"I'm human, by the Force, Obi-Wan, I'm human."

"I know. I was wrong about you, I'm glad I was wrong. You are going to be just fine, Anakin, just fine. Help Luke rebuild the Order so that no one has to fall the way you did, Master Skywalker."

"Master Obi-Wan, I don't deserve to become a Master. I destroyed the Jedi, no one deserved it less than me."

"No one deserves it more than you. The Order failed you, I failed you. Begin anew. Anakin. On behalf of the Council, I grant you the title of Master."

"Master, no."

"You know the darkness inside of you and you can conquer it. Since the Emperor's defeat you haven't let it take it's hold upon you, nor will you. You are saved, and in being saved you will save others," Obi-Wan stood up and backed away, becoming blue again. "I am part of the Force now. And I will always be with you. May the Force be with you."

"And with you, Master," Anakin replied, watching as the blue wisps faded and he was left alone. Luke had heard everything, no wonder Ben had worried so. His father had fallen because of love. He had used the force to enhance his hearing as he stood outside, even though a part of him knew it was wrong, he wanted to know the truth and though his father had never lied to him, there were things he shielded him from. "Luke."

"Father."

"Put me in contact with Mon. No, on second thought, we should travel to your Rebel Base, and I will contact the Grand Moff's. I never want to see that suit again, when we rebuild the Order, let the suit stand as a warning to those that may fall. We must rebuild, in that you are right. Before you sits the last member of the Jedi Council," Anakin stated quietly.

"You must rest."

"I can rest on the starship. You are a great pilot, son. I can recover there. We will find Ahsoka and return to your Rebel Base. Inform them of my presence."

Luke looked nervous. He didn't think Mon would be happy, but if she wanted a peaceful resolution she would have to agree. "Artoo," Luke called as he punched in the coordinates to get in touch with Mon.

"Commander Skywalker, I trust you are doing well."

"Yes. We have a solution for the problem General Solo informed me of."

"I'm listening."

"My father will end it." Luke moved out of the way.

"What do you propse Lord Vader?"

"Skywalker. And I will use everything in my power to reign in the Grand Moff's and restore balance."

"You, why would you do that? How do I know this isn't some trick to assume Emperor Palpatine's place."

"You don't. You will just have to trust me, as you once trusted my wife."

"I don't understand," she stated confusion on her face.

"I am not just Darth Vader, I was once Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker as I'm sure you are aware. I was married to the Queen and Senator of Naboo, Padme Amidala Neberrie Skywalker. For her, and for my children, I will do what I must."

"Complete this task, and you will have earned my trust. I will do all that I can to protect you."

"That is not nessasary."

"Nonetheless, I believe Luke would rather see you alive and free."

"I have never been free, Chancellor," he said and bowed as he had before the Emperor.

"I trust you to complete the task, Jedi Master," she stated and ended the transmission.


	5. Chapter 5

Finding Ahsoka

"Father, where to?"

"Fellucia."

"When I concentrate on Ahsoka's Force presence I get a sense of where she's been hiding. She's not alone, either."

"You mean she's married."

"Possible. She didn't split with the Order on her own free will, even though we asked her back, even though _I _asked her to come back. She was my padawan, and in those days I loved greatly. Ahsoka was like a sister to me, like a daughter. I wanted to help her anyway I could. She was set up by another Jedi, one of her friends. Someone that had once attacked her in a fit of madness but whose life she would not take. In some ways, she was a stronger Jedi than I was."

Luke nodded as he set the coordinates for Fullicia. Thanks to light speed it wouldn't take them long to reach their destination. "How did you meet Ahsoka?"

"I knew the Tortuga from around the Temple. Sometimes, I would drift to where the younglings were, thinking of your mother, and the family we may have someday. I didn't want a Padawan, not in the middle of the war we were in. I was an arrogant Jedi Knight, I didn't want to put anyone else's life in danger. Obi-Wan and I were a team. We were an extraordinary team and I didn't want anything to come between us. Then Ahsoka arrived on Chistophsis. I thought Obi-Wan was going to take another padawan. I ragged him about it. But Master Obi-Wan had arranged for me to have a padawan, behind my back. Said it would be good for me. That once she completed her training, I could become a Master. I wanted that in those days, but if I hadn't believed in Ahsoka, even that wouldn't have swayed me. But she had something rare, she was reckless, and I don't believe any other Jedi could have been patient with her. I took her on as my padawan. And I taught her the Jedi Code, and that people counted. I taught her as Obi-Wan had taught me, I did the best I could but I could never truly have the Jedi reserve. She was as impulsive as I had been, and I shielded her against the more dangerous missions, or tried to, she defied me."

"She must have been very special to you."

"She contacted me through our Force bond just once."

"What did she want?"

"To offer her condolences on your mother's death."

"She knew?"

"She knew enough, but no, I didn't tell her. She was the only Jedi other than Master Obi-Wan that I trusted to guard Padme," he told his son. "I'm going to get some rest, son. Artoo can fly her if you want to do the same."

Luke nodded and watched his father walk back to one of the dormitory rooms on board. It was a lot take in. Anakin Skywalker had had a student. There was a Jedi that the Executor had not hunted down. He wondered why his father was agreeing to help. Even though he had suggested it, he had never thought that he would agree so easily. Was it to see Leia? Luke wasn't sure. He knew he had to warn her, and after he was sure that his father was asleep, he contacted his sister.

"Luke, it's so good to hear from you!" she stated with a smile. She was wearing more informal clothes that he had ever seen her, and her hair was loose. He looked at her and wondered what their mother had looked like.

"It's good to see you again. I am returning to the base, soon."

"I'm glad. It's like when you went to Dagobah, you aren't training again, are you?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. I need to tell you what really happened on the Death Star II."

"You already told us. You destroyed the Emperor. It may take some time, with the galaxy at unrest, but we will return to democracy," she stated and her eyes flashed, they didn't change like their father's but flashed with an inner light, or fire. She reminded him of their father. He could see the similarities between them.

"That was in the report but Leia, that's not what really happened. Our father is alive." Many emotion flowed over his sister's face, anger, betrayal, hurt.

"You may have forgiven him, but I will not," Leia stated as he faced became devoid of emotion. "One moment of selflessness does not make up for a lifetime of wrong."

"It's not just one moment, Leia. Try to understand. He was once a Jedi Knight, they called him the 'Hero with No Fear.' He was married to our mother, the Queen and Senator of Naboo, Padme Amidala."

"I know of her."

"I thought you might."

"There was a rumor about our father," she said as an afterthought. "They said that Anakin Skywalker died defending the Temple from Darth Vader."

"I have no doubt that our father started that rumor. He told me that Anakin Skywalker had once been a symbol of hope. The Emperor poisoned him, Leia, you have to believe that."

"What I believe," Leia began, her voice hard, like he had heard his father's. "is that our father, Darth Vader, restrained me while Grand Moff Tarkin destroyed my home planet. My _REAL _father died that day. What I believe is that Lord Vader manipulated Lando to turn on Han, and that he used him as a test subject and froze him in carbonate, as I stood by helpless to do anything and then he planned on carrying me to the Emperor. What I believe is that he nearly killed you, cutting your arm off and leaving you to die. What I believe is that he murdered Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Ben has forgiven him, why can't you?"

"How can you forgive him, Luke?"

"Our mother believed in him."

"And how did that end?" she threw out bitterly. "No, I cannot support any plan that involves Darth Vader."

"But he's not Darth Vader, He's Anakin Skywalker. He's fighting the Dark Side."

"I don't care about that, Luke. What I do care about is that Sate Pastage is trying to declare himself Emperor and destroy freedom before its ever begun."

"Father is going to fix that problem."

"I for one am going to be prepared in case he decides to resume his mantel as Lord of the Sith. Goodbye, Luke," she said ending the transmission. He knew his father wanted to see her, he just wished he didn't have a sense of foreboding about it.

Anakin awoke in a panic, remembering something he had forgotten. In the event of Palpatine's death he would send one of his hands, had already sent one that Vader had foiled many times, to destroy Skywalker. Luke was in danger. He had to find Ahsoka and put her on his children. They had to be safe. Luke was known as his child, but Leia was not. Even the Emperor hadn't known had he? Was Leia safe?

"Father, we are entering the atmosphere." Anakin's lightsaber. He didn't have a lightsaber, did he? He went into the closet and took out his trophy, something that had stayed on Vader even as he fell over Endor. Kenobi's lightsaber. It was the best he could do on such short notice. He was sure Ahsoka would attack. He turned on the lightsaber.

"That's not mine?" Luke asked.

"No, this is not the lightsaber you had on Bespin, and a word of caution son, don't ever wield a weapon against the weapon maker. You will never win."

"You made the lightsaber?"

"Yes. That weapon and the one I had on Endor has seen much more bloodshed than this one. I will have to make another one," he said to himself. He returned the lightsaber to its pouch and began sorting through the clothes. He hadn't changed out of the hospital gown and he would not face Ahsoka like this. Luke was shorter than him. He ignited the lightsaber and cut the buttons of the pants of the tunic as he wore a pair of Luke's pants. He put on his own boots, and tunic, the arms as short as the pants had been. And he attached the cape which had been his own, it was the only purchase Luke had made for him. After more than three decades with a cape he wasn't sure what to do without one. He looked in the mirror, noting the pale flesh and the hair that was just beginning to grow back. His eyelashes and eyebrows had already returned.

He pulled the cape over his head. He did have some of the look of Anakin, even though there were many differences, still. He didn't seem to have aged since the end of the Clone Wars. Padme, he thought, imagining her coming behind him. She will never come up behind him again. Tears sprung to his eyes, tears that he forced away. If he had never joined Sidious, she would be here with him. The unfairness of it was enough to make him give way to anger, but he had gone there before and Luke had nearly died because of it, never again.

"Are you ready, Father?"

"Yes, my son, let's go find my padawan." Anakin led the way, calling out to her through their bond. "She's hiding her Force presence."

"You can do that?"

"Yes, Luke I can. You still have a lot of training to go. How long have you been training?" he asked, igniting the lightsaber in his belt to cut through the foliage on this planet.

"Since the Death Star I blew up Alderaan."

"Three years? That's all? What had Obi-Wan been doing with you?" Anakin all but exploded. "You should have been training for years. No wonder you were so inexperienced on Bespin."

"Father, I was raised by Owen and Beru."

"Lars!" he all but shrieked. "You could have been killed." Anakin's eyes flashed yellow as he struggled to get his emotions under control. "Sithspit, Obi-Wan," Anakin cursed. Anakin's eyes remained yellow and his skin began to become more sallow as he cursed and paced.

And before him Luke saw not Anakin Skywalker but Darth Vader. He wondered if this had anything to with his grandmother. As Luke watched he felt the barest warning from the force and found an emerald green lightsaber at his throat.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" She pulled another lightsaber out at pointed it at Anakin.

"You stop it right now, or his life will pay the forfeit," she repeated, directing herself at Anakin. The forest shook with the power of his pacing. "You are upsetting the balance of this place, and I won't have it. These people have done nothing wrong. I don't care whether the two of you are Jedi, Sith, or Dark sister."

Anakin stopped pacing and his eyes returned to normal. Luke saw his father return. The corners of his lips turned into a smile. "You won't hurt him."

"I will," she added, jerking the lightsaber toward Luke.

"Father..." Luke warned.

Anakin just smiled. "Snips, put down your lightsaber." The lightsaber dropped from her grasp and Anakin reached into the Force turning them off.

"Skyguy? Is it really you?"

"One and the same?"

"Who is this?" she added, jerking her head at Luke.

"That is my son, Luke Skywalker."

"Senator Padme...figures. I heard rumors, Skyguy. That you were killed by Darth Vader protecting the Temple. Obi-Wan said that you had turned to the Dark Side. I felt it, when your presence changed, and I felt it again, when it changed again."

"Ahsoka, Luke wants to rebuild the Jedi."

"Anakin, I can't. Do you really think I could after what they did?"

"They are all dead, Ahsoka. I am one of the last Masters of the Order, and the last members of the Council."

"It's their fault that you fell, Skyguy."

"The fault lies with me."

"Ahsoka Tano," Luke said softly. "Please, if you cannot join the Jedi then join the Rebellion."

"I don't know, Skyguy junior. I have a responsibility here. No one knows me as Ahsoka, I am simply healer. I have a family now."

"Take me to them," Anakin commanded.

"You will like to know that we do not allow the Force inside my home. It was insisted upon by my husband who feared that the Emperor and his slave would come for us." Anakin winced at the use of the term slave. "It was for my protection and that of our offspring."

"You have children?" Anakin asked.

"Five children," she smiled, her face softening into a look of maternal pride. "I must ask that you leave your lightsaber at the door."

"Of course, Snips," Anakin handed his over.

"This isn't yours, Master. This is Obi-Wan's."

"Astute as always, Snips" he replied as Luke hesitated before handing over his lightsaber, if his father would hand over his, so would he.

"Come on in, the disturbance I felt was Skyguy."

"Ahsoka, honey," the lean man came up and kissed his wife. Luke looked him over. He was tall, lean and muscular, and human.

"General Skywalker."

"When did you desert?"

"During Operation Knightfall."

"I see."

"Sir, I understand why you did what you did...but I couldn't do it. I couldn't attack the Jedi, all I could think of was Ahsoka. I couldn't go through with it. So I took an airspeeder and I traveled. I knew as most of the Clones did that once the war was over we wouldn't be needed, I got out of there and I visited some of the Clones that had dismissed before. I got information on Ahsoka, and I briefly joined the Rebellion, until they replaced my uniform. Then Ahsoka found me, we have been here ever since, General."

"Rex, you did good. I'm glad you've taken care of my padawan."

"Meet our children. Children!" Rex called and five Tortuga-human hybrids. They were beautiful, Anakin thought, he could see much of his padawan in them.

"They are Force-sensitive?" Luke asked.

"Rex, this is my son, Luke. Luke, this was the greatest commander in all the Old Republic."

"Thank you, sir."

"I taught him how to alert me of Dark Jedi control. How to construct mind sheilds without being Force- sensitive."

"Really?"

"Absolutly. General Skywalker saved my life during the war. I only regret I couldn't follow him once the war ended."

"Rex, you did the right thing."

"Our children. Padme is our oldest. She was born soon after Padme's death. I couldn't have chosen another name if I had wanted. Anakin, I'm really sorry about the Senator."

"Don't be, Snips," he said as he eyed the oldest girl. She was Luke's age, and seemed to be older than her years. She had brown eyes like Rex, like Padme, but the rest of her looked like Ahsoka.

"Our sons, Yoda, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Cody."

"Padme is your only daughter."

"Yes." Anakin couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Father," Luke asked, drawing his eyes off of Padme. She was short of stature just like Padme.

"Come with me, Snips. I will need you with me on this one. I have a huge job ahead of me."

"Alright, Rex, I'm taking Padme with me. We will join you, Anakin." She had been about to say no, but he needed her. Anytime Anakin needed her, she would be there. "I'll stay in contact, sweetheart."

"I can't bare for you to leave me, 'Soka. I'm going to. I'll contact one of my brothers on Dantooine. The children will stay with him."

"It's great to have you both back."

"Thank you, sir. Let's get ready, 'Soka."

Anakin smiled and hugged them both. Palpatine really had cut him off from everything and everyone dear to him. Reconnecting with his past was good for him, Obi-Wan would be pleased.


	6. Return of a Jedi Master

Return

Anakin and Luke closely followed by Rex, Ahsoka, and Padme Tano headed toward the Rebel Base. Luke was not expecting that anyone would be happy to have his father there, but he didn't let his father know that. He knew that the Dark Side hadn't completely lost its grip on him, but he doubted he would attack anyone unprovoked. He just hoped Han didn't provoke him or anyone else. There were many at the base who would hate Vader, but did they have to know that his father was Vader.

Anakin was a little shorter than Vader not by much, but enough that Luke knew he hadn't inherited his short stature from his father, but from his mother. He set the coordinates for Endor, he hoped as Anakin did, that the presence of Ahsoka would soften the blow. He knew that Anakin had no intention of hiding his identity. He had discussed it with his father who had shook his head and had told him that keeping secrets was what got him into this mess to begin with. Anakin was still resting, his body was still healing. He felt cold. It was probably the new limbs, it sparked a memory between him and his wife when he thought she was just a handmaiden and he had been newly freed. She had given him a blanket. Restless, he got up and walked around.

"Father, you should be asleep."

"Feeling again apparently has made me restless," Anakin stated stubbornly. "I'm cold," he reluctantly admitted. "I haven't felt cold or hot in years. That Death Suit, kept my body temperature regulated," Anakin explained. "I haven't eaten in years," he continued with yearning in his voice. "We used to cook together," Anakin stated, a small smile playing upon his lips. "I don't deserve any of this. I should have remained trapped in that suit," Anakin said the smile leaving his lips and his eyes. "I should have died with the Emperor aboard the Death Star II."

"No, Father. I need you. There is so much good you can do."

"I don't know. Maybe. You know Artoo used to belong to your mother. She gave him to me as a wedding gift. 'What use does a Senator need with an astrodroid,' she asked me? I didn't want to take him from her. I was her husband, I was to provide for her. But Artoo was my friend. I risked entire missions to keep him at my side. I never wiped his memory. I should have. He would have been dangerous in the hands of the enemy, but he witnessed our wedding. He was one of the other beings in the galaxy that knew our secret."

Luke handed him a blanket which he wrapped around his shoulders which were largely flab after they reached the elbow since he hadn't had time to make them as muscular as they once were. He was just glad to have arms. They would return to the form that had once been it, once he began practicing again. He couldn't afford to get sloppy. It could mean his death or the death of his children, and although he had no problem dying, he refused that fate for his children. "Artoo has always helped me out. He's been with me since Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's death."

Anakin felt a pang inside of him that he didn't recognize. That pang was at war with the rage he had always felt toward the Lars for not protecting his mother. If he had been there he would have. "They were not your aunt and uncle," Anakin said quietly. "My mother married Owen's father, but we weren't family. They failed her," he spoke in low undertones, his voice dripping between sadness and anger. "And in doing so they failed me. They failed you, my son."

"Father, what happened to my grandmother."

"There are things that my master did, things I didn't find out til much later," Anakin's face drew into a grim line. "I cannot discuss this right not, not before I meet your Rebellion. Don't ask this of me." Luke nodded. Anakin was right, he couldn't ask him of something that was obviously a dark place for him, when he was about to introduce him to the very people Vader had hunted, plus Han and Leia would be there and they both knew of Anakin's identity.

"When I introduce you, don't contest it. For me. If they ask for a Trial there is only so much I can do."

"I don't fear a Trial. I am not a young man Luke. If they want justice I will not attempt to fly or stay their hand."

"Let me do the talking, Father, please."

"The Negotiator. I will do as you wish, but if they ask me, I will not give credit to a false statement." Luke looked on his navi-computer. They were getting close. "Your mother thought you were a boy. She pleaded with me to not use the Force to check. I thought she was pregnant with a girl." Luke breathed out slowly. This was what he wanted from his father.

"Looks like you were both right," Luke joked, hoping his father wouldn't stop talking. He knew his father was a private person, held his memories dear to him. He had probably shared more with Luke than anyone else but this was the person that he wanted Leia to know. The Jedi, the husband who had been excited at the prospect of becoming a father, only something had gone terribly wrong and that something had been the Emperor.

"You or your sister kicked her so hard. You would wake her up, but sometimes when I laid beside her, I talked to you. I couldn't sleep...once the nightmares began. They got so bad in the last weeks of the Empire that I couldn't sleep at all, I put myself in Force-induced trances so that I could find out how to save her."

"Save her?"

"I had dreams...visions of your mother dying in childbirth. I was desperate. I couldn't lose her. I wouldn't lose her. She was ….is the love of my life. She was like the twin suns in a black void. She kept the darkness within me under control. My dreams always came true, ever since I was a child. It got so bad in the final days of the Republic that I could see my nightmares while I was awake. I wasn't eating much either. I was worried about food..if Padme died, I didn't want to live."

Luke took it in. He was in a stress-altered state. The Emperor had obviously taken advantage of the situation, preyed on Anakin when he was weak, when he was in a haze, even the Force couldn't replace a good nights rest. "And when you finally did sleep it was too late."

"Yeah, it was. There was no one left except the Emperor. I regretted it immediately but what could I do, Luke? In that suit, I didn't have the power to challenge him, there was no going back. And then I was drunk on the Dark Side, he fed that. He manipulated me, he manipulated everyone. He created this war, to draw himself into power and them he became racist. He didn't want anyone in power who wasn't human. He allowed the Grand Moffs to torture and enslave entire races."

Luke had known what the Emperor and Grand Moffs were about. "You weren't racist?" Luke asked his father.

"Me? No, if there's one thing I don't believe in it's slavery. My mother always said that the worst thing in the galaxy is that no one bothers with anyone but themselves. If more people in the galaxy were to open up their hearts and help one another it would be a better place. You just met my padawan. You met me First in Command. The Clones became like the Jedi they spent time around. Rex became reckless and Cody became cautious, like Master Obi-Wan."

Luke was learning so much from his father. "I didn't realize all of that," Luke said quietly. "When you intended for me to join you..to make things better, you meant it."

"You were right to refuse me. We couldn't have betrayed him right away, and he would have tried to turn you against me. He was the most crafty, most manipulative individual I had ever met. He even manipulated your mother, played on her compassion for her people. It was how he knew how to manipulate you."

"Father, we are here." Anakin took a deep breathe and nodded. He followed Luke down the ramp and into the base. He looked around at all the happy and cautious faces. Anakin felt Ahsoka, Rex and Padme Tano behind him.

"Ready Snips?"

"Ready Skyguy."

"I apologize for my delay, but all has not been in vain. The Jedi were once the defenders of the Old Republic, as they will be of the New Republic, and to help me I have recruited some Jedi to help me. Some of you may remember Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker..." Luke paused as the crowd muttered questions and misgivings. "I found him alive on the Death Star II, my own father, imagine my surprise when I found him, a prisoner of Darth Vader. It was he, not I, that destroyed the Emperor thus fulfilling his destiny as a Jedi Knight and becoming a Jedi Master." Anakin reddened, and ran his hand through his still-short hair. Luke was doing it again, making him larger than life, giving him a role that he wasn't sure he could live up to. "And his padawan Ahsoka Tano, here with her husband the retired Clone Trooper, Rex, also known as CT-7567, and their daughter Padme Tano. Now if you will excuse us, we will need to get settled. Thank you."

Luke led them through the group and Anakin narrowed his eyes. There was a Hand here. Red hair, green eyes, lots of force potential. He had to be on his guard, he knew that she wouldn't recognize him. The Emperor had taught her so very little. He would have to warn Luke and Leia. Speaking of Leia, she approached Luke and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you. Luke, I was afraid that you wouldn't make it. That something or someone would happen to you."

"I told her worshipfulness not to worry but you know your sister."

"Yes. May I present my father, Anakin Skywalker, his padawan Ahsoka Tano, her husband Rex, and their daughter Padme Tano."

"It's nice to meet you, Ahsoka, Rex, Padme," Leia added, nodding at each them and pointedly ignoring her father.

"Hello Princess," Anakin said softly. His voice unnerved her. It seemed familiar to her. As if she had heard it long ago.

"You...how dare you? How dare you speak to me?" she hissed at him lowly, a smile on her face to prevent the worry of anyone from the Rebellion.

"Leia..." Anakin began.

"You will refer to me as my title, Princess of Alderaan, or not at all. And I will refer to you as yours. Which one would you like?" Anakin frowned, taking her into consideration.

"I would like to speak to you alone, Leia. Your life may be in danger."

"The only danger I see here is you," she replied. "I will have you watched and if I have so much as an inkling that you have returned to your old ways, your days of freedom will come to an end, do I make myself clear...Skywalker," she bit out. Anakin stared at her, worry seeping into his veins. He had once been like that. He flicked his eyes from Luke to Leia and back again. Despite Leia's appearance, she was more like him than she would ever know.

"Princess, you may look like your mother but you are more like me than you know," he said evenly.

"I could never be like you. I could never become something so twisted and evil."

"You have the same Force potential as your brother and you should be trained."

"As what..A Sith? I will never become evil...like you."

"Leia, please not here," Luke intervened.

"Why? Are you worried that he will slip up? That he's not as redeemed as you want us to believe. Fine, I'll hold me tongue for now. But if you slip up Skywalker, I'll be there." She departed with Han in tow. Han held one of her hands and the other one had slipped around her waist, speaking of a possession. Anakin frowned but didn't comment although he didn't think a simple space pirate who had been a deserter was good enough for the daughter of Senator Amidala. Ahsoka whistled.

"Wow, Skyguy, looks like you've got your work cut out for you."

"Girls, I am finding are never easy. I shouldn't have forgotten that," Anakin said with a sigh.

"Youre right. Hey, are you talking about me, Skyguy?"

"Would I do that?" he teased, the corners of his eyes crinkling up in amusement even though the situation with Leia was not amusing in the least. "Luke, go after your sister but be careful. I sense danger surrounding you and your sister, but at least you are half way trained. I'm going to ask something of you that wont be easy. You are going to have to train with me, if you will allow me to train you. You are going to have to accomplish in months what it takes most Jedi years if they ever accomplish it. You weren't ready to face the Emperor."

"I defeated you."

"Did you?" Anakin asked, and Luke wasn't so sure, even with robotic limbs his father had been a challenge. "Find someone to show the Tano's around. I must make contact with the Empire and arrange a meeting to discuss the terms of surrender.


	7. Chapter 7

Training

Anakin Skywalker put in a transmission to the Grand Vizier, Sate Pestage, who had sometimes intercepted his transmissions to the Emperor and kept him waiting. He outranked him, he just had to make them stand down. He couldn't even be sure that they would believe he was who he was. He was going to have to contact Admiral Piett, who was once of the most trusted officers under Darth Vader. He put in a code, so that they wouldn't come face to face to meet in his palace on Coruscent, or Imperial Center. The Emperor had ordered that he have a palace although Vader was more comfortable in space on on Vjunn. It was to show off his power, and Vader knew it and detested such a waste. When he had lived with his mother they had lived among other slaves and yet they had been happy to an extent. Even Padme who had been Queen and Senator had never been so extravagant, and as a Jedi the only thing he had really considered his had been his droids, his star fighter, and his lightsaber. He had no need for such luxuries. He didn't deserve them.

Anakin went into a training room, and took about the droid reprogramming it so that he could work on his karats, alone. He wouldn't put Luke or Ahsoka in harms way. After an hour he had the little droid programmed the way he wanted him. He took off his robe and boots, and stood there barefoot in Luke's Jedi tunics. He was going to have to get some of his own. He held Obi-Wan's lightsaber in his hands, clenched in the double grip he had employed during his Jedi years and he wondered just how much mobility had returned. As Vader he had to compensate for his bulking form and respirator, protecting it at all costs. Now, though he had been restored.

He stood and waited, feeling a whisper from the Force, he easily held out his hands and deflected the laser bolts as he had against Captain Solo on Cloud City. He stretched out with his senses leaping into the air and performing a duck roll as the blaster bolts missed him. The bolts were starting to come faster. Finally, he ignited the blue blade in his hand and fell into Form I, merely blocking the bolts, and he swiftly moved into Form II, he skipped over Form III, for Obi-Wan had been the Master of Form III and had taught to him, although he had never had much use for its defense, and Obi-Wan had always been there to back him up. He dropped to the ground, and dove to a safe area, whipping and kicking as he did so. He held the droid still with the force as he shrugged out of his tunic, leaving him in his pants, as if he was some deranged Force user pushing his body to its limits as sweat poured from his chest. He moved into his normal Form, Form IV, and began attacking and slashing turning the laser bolts against the droid. The bolts began coming faster, so that Anakin had to rely on the Force as he used it to speed his attacks and finally He jumped and placed the lightsaber in the droid. There was a collective sigh and clapping as Anakin bowed and turned around.

"That was magnificent, Father," Luke said in awe.

"I have seen anything like that since the days of the Clone Wars," Lando added.

"You truly are a Master of your Order," added another Rebel. Anakin blushed sheepishly.

"I didn't realize anyone was watching," he told them. Leia frowned her lips drawing into a line. She seemed to be considering something.

"That was remarkable, if I had known the old man and the Kid could do that, maybe I would have put more faith into the Force."

"Thank you, Captain Solo."

"The Force is with me. Even if I have betrayed it, it never let me down."

"Skyguy, the Force has never left you. Neither have I."

"I know, Snips."

"General Skywalker," Leia said softly. "Do you think you could train the Rebellion to do that?"

"I wish I could. I could train you to do that, but most of my abilities flow through the Force."

"Train me as what," she hissed again, "A Sith?"

"I would rather loose my ability to breathe than for that to happen, Leia." She turned around and left.

"Ouch," the Hand stated, "Looks like you've made an enemy."

"Of them I have many," Anakin replied, his eyes on the Hand. Soon the crowd dispersed, still talking about what they had seen. He could hear as they remembered his titles, the holo-net had made such a big deal of him. Padme had once told him that the only reason they were still fighting was because of him, because they believed in him. Anakin shook his head and made his way to the Hand. "Hand, I know what you are planning and I will destroy you before I let you harm Skywalker."

"Vader, I knew it was you. What would the Rebellion think if I revealed your identity, that Darth Vader is among them."

"Go ahead. You won't find a soul in this base that will believe you. I could destroy you without trying. I don't know what your plan is, Hand, and I don't care. If you hurt Skywalker, you will suffer more than anything you could ever imagine. The pain that you could imagine in your worst nightmares will be nothing compared to the pain I will put you through if you harm Skywalker or his friends. I will bring your worst fears to life and even that will not be the most you will suffer before I end your pathetic life," he growled, his eyes flashing yellow. "If I get even a hint of you harming him, you will wish you have never been born, your suffering will be so great." Anakin's skin paled and red entered his eyes. "I will see you as my drone until the end of your days. You will serve me and I will make every moment of your life unbearable, so that you will wish for death. Do you understand me, Hand?"

She nodded, and even though she felt the sickness, the disease that infected Vader, and she smiled, although she knew that he meant what he said. "Vader, you have no power over me. You know nothing of loyalty. If you had any sense of loyalty the Emperor would be alive now."

The yellow receded from Anakin's eyes leaving them blue and the sallowness disappeared from his skin, to be replaced by the image of Anakin as he had been prior to their conversation. "The Emperor is evil, Hand. You need to be able to break through his command, his control. Look around, Jade, these are good people. The Empire must fall, you know that. Deep inside, you know that Luke doesn't deserve any harm. The Emperor will twist your loyalty into something dark and crooked. Here we can both start anew without the control of the Emperor and its corrupt Empire."

"Father," he heard Luke's voice, and Anakin was thankful he hadn't seen how ruthless he had been with the Hand.

"The Emperor had many hands, you weren't the only one," Anakin told her and walked away without a backward glance.

"I didn't realize I had an audience," Anakin replied.

"I went looking for you, and Leia and Han went looking for me, and then Lando went looking for him and then they put in a word what you were doing in here..."

"It's no big deal, son, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka often drew a crowd when we were dueling. I hope I didn't frighten Leia."

"She's amazed, we all are. I didn't know that a Jedi could be so...wow, Dad."

Dad. Not Vader, not Father, but Dad. Would he ever hear the same words from Leia. "It will be a few weeks before I can meet with the Vizier, and I need to return to my Castle. It's the only way to end this."

"You mean return to the Empire?"

"I mean to put an end to the Empire. It's corrupt, and it's time for its rule to come to an end."

"I will make preparations. This is a good thing, Dad. We will make things right."

"Yes, we will, son. We will." Anakin glanced around, and Jade had disappeared. He could only hope that Leia's existence was as secret to the Empire as it had been to him. "This may not be easy but I will do what I must."

"I know."

"Would you like to train?" Anakin asked his son.

"Of course. More than anything."

Anakin stood at parade rest, with his hands clapped behind his back and reached out with his senses. He could sense everyone on base, and the Force that flowed through him. He could hear everyone's thoughts from Mon Momtha to Artoo. He pushed toward Luke's thoughts frowning at the easy access. "You must construct mental shields around your thoughts or else you will be easy prey to the Sith or evil a Dark Jedi. I was like that once...just after your mother died. I projected everywhere, I was unconcerned, after all the Jedi Order was destroyed, who was there that was a threat to me. But I learned and so will you."

He instructed Luke on how to project images or feelings he wasn't feeling, and most wouldn't dig too deep. It was essential with the Hand running around the Rebel Base. Anakin stretched out his feelings, he hadn't had such an unbridled grip on the Force since Mustafar, it was there and it was glowing and bright. He reached into Mara's mind, she had been shaken up by their encounter but that was to be expected. Anakin felt awful for having to go to that dark place again, he never wanted to be there again, but to protect his children he would do what it took. He sensed a familiar presence but it wasn't on the base, it was somehow elusive. And then he began letting go. He let go of his sorrow, of his guilt, of his anger, his disappointment, he released it into the Force. And when he stood up there were tears on his face. Tears for everything he had done. "The Emperor believed that even in that state I could achieve full potential, but the light, my guilt held me back. He may have been right. Although there were times that I did what he told me, I felt bad about it. I felt as if I had no choice, I eagerly learned what he had to teach me in hopes of overthrowing him and taking his place. In making the galaxy better, but like I was I was too weak, and he knew it. Trechery is the way of the Sith, my son."

"Are you a Jedi now?"

"I don't know. Perhaps, my son, I am neither, or I am both. After I fix the Republic, I'm going to request a vacation. There is somewhere I must be. There is only one place in the Galaxy that has ever healed me."

"Where is that?"

"That's personal," Anakin said turning on his heel and going to find his quarters. Anakin didn't know it but he still strode in the same purposeful walk as Vader had. He just hoped he was the only one to make the connection. Perhaps, his father had always walked like that. Perhaps in came from being in charge. Even as a Jedi he had been in charge of a fleet of soldiers.


	8. Normal

Normal

Anakin looked around his quarters, which seemed to consist of a bed and a fresher. He turned to the closet and found Rebel clothes and flight gear, like he had ever needed flight gear. At least it would fit though, he thought. He took out the white shirt and blue pants with the Rebellion Embel on it and went toward the Fresher, even as he had noticed the camos and the white depending on what they would blend into. He took off the Jedi robes that were too short for him and placed them in the chute. He turned on the shower and placed his flesh and blood hand underneath it, marveling at the coolness to the touch before he applied heat. He used the Force to grab a towel from the bedroom and slipped into the shower. He closed his eyes and let out a moan. It had been too long since he had stepped in a shower. The way he had bathed as Vader had been unpleasant to say the least.

He stood there and he remembered showering in the 500 Republic. Showering with Padme. He wished he could see her, that he could hold her just once more. He wished that Padme would come into the shower like she used to but, he thought sullenly, he had ruined that forever. What had Obi-Wan meant when he had said to protect Padme? Could she be alive? Anakin didn't dare hope, too many times his hopes had been dashed, but now that the question had been unlocked, he couldn't help but imagine the possibilities.

He turned the water off, and slung his head, dropping the droplets of water on the floor that had clung to his hair, hair that now resembled how it had been just prior to his marriage. He used the Force to grab a towel and folded it around his waist. He looked into the mirror, his hair was giving off a blondish-brown sheen to it. It was growing back faster than he had expected. His arms and legs were aching from the workout he had put himself through. Although he had impressed the Rebellion, he realized his limitations and he would push his body until it reached peak performance. He remembered as a Padawan he had complained about the workouts. "Strong of body, strong of mind," he chanted to himself. It was something Obi-Wan had said to him, so long ago. His brief encounter with Jade bothered him, but he quickly pushed it from his mind, the meditation afterward had helped. He hoped she would leave his son alone and that he wouldn't have to awaken that part of himself again. He couldn't walk the line anymore, it was too dangerous. Soon he would confront that part of himself, but right now he had to set things to purpose. He had to protect what was left of his family. Again, he thought of Padme. Was she safe? Had the Emperor managed to capture her or had the Jedi hidden her? So many questions. He sensed a presence in his room, and quickly finished getting dressed.

Someone was hiding from him, he discovered frowning as he felt the presence around the room. But where? "Make your presence known," he ordered, trying to remember where he had put Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Had he left it in the training room? It was of no consequence. He hardly needed it to defend himself. He felt a flicker of fear..apprehension maybe from the closet and drew open the doors. As he turned around, he felt a blaster at his back. "It's against the rules of engagement to shoot a man in the back," he replied, turning to face his opponent. "Ah, Captain Solo, what can I do for you?"

"What are your intentions with Leia?"

"That should be my question to you, Captain Solo. I am Leia's father."

"She doesn't want you to be."

"So she sent you here to do what exactly?" Anakin asked brushing some lint from his clothes. "Kill me?" He looked up at Solo. "You should know by now that blaster bolts would hardly harm me." Anakin used the Force to take it from him and turned it off. "Have a seat, Captain. Let us discuss this like men." Han saw know other choice and sat down at the same table for two that was in his room. He looked at Anakin. "I am unarmed," Anakin assured him.

"Hardly seems fair," Captain Solo grumbled. "What happened to you? Last I heard you were hooked up to some oxygen and could barely move on your own. You are head of the Empire, why would you help the Rebellion?"

"I was repaired," Anakin replied. "Once," Anakin began moving to the small fridge and taking out a quart of booze and two glasses, he offered one to Captain Solo as his mouth watered, thinking of the first drink he would have in twenty years. He poured and handed one to Captain Solo as he hesitated savoring the thought of drinking. "Cordelia Ale?" he sipped, knowing that the drink would be too strong for his body that hadn't drunk in twenty years. "Once I made a mistake. I chose the wrong side. That decision has haunted me for a long time."

"You put me in carbonate."

"Yes, I did, Captain Solo. My sincerest apologies." Han Solo was stumped, this wasn't going as planned. He had been a fool to think that he could challenge Vader, that he could scare him. He looked down at his own drink, and finished it off in one gulp. "You are a space pirate, a deserter, a smuggler, a gambler."

"I am a Captain of the Rebel Alliance," Han replied.

"And I am Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker, the last member of the Jedi High Council." Han understood, even though he had never committed the acts that Vader had, they all had things in their past they were not proud of, but a person was not the sum of their actions. "You are a great pilot, Captain Solo. I would never had imagined you could make that hunk of bolts escape my fleet and the bounty hunters I hired. The Force must have been with you."

"No offense, Skywalker, but I don't believe in hokey religions."

"After all you've been through, you can still say that? Well, I will have to do all that I can to change your mind. This conversation is over, Captain Solo." Anakin twirled the blaster around. "This blaster has been modified...definitely better than the average stormtroopers. I looked up your record, Captain. It's a crude weapon to be sure, but effective. I once owned one," he said as he handed the blaster back to its owner.

"You weren't born with a lightsaber between your teeth," Han drawled sarcastically.

"No, the origins surrounding my birth..were uncommon to say the least," Anakin said. "I hold no hard feelings, in fact I am in your debt. You saved my son when I was unable to do so."

"You are his father."

"It takes more than what I have done to become a parent. Any man can father a child," he stated slowly.

"Your identity is safe with me. For Luke," Solo said as he left. Anakin looked after him, Captain Solo was a lot of things that if circumstances had been different perhaps Anakin would have been too. How would his life had been different if the Jedi had refused his training...he wouldn't have had to hide his relationship from the Council, yet he had always taken such pride in being a Jedi. Padme. He had done so much wrong to her. He didn't deserve the second chance of life that he had been given. He ran a hand through his hair which seemed to be growing by the minute. It now reminded him of his hair as a padawan without the braid. He pulled on a pair of boots and his Jedi robes and strode down to the mess hall. He searched the faces there recognizing some as enemies of the Empire, and there were those he recognized as soldiers of the Empire. Spies, he thought. Not that it mattered now. He was not Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, but instead Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker. Something was convincing him that Padme wasn't dead. If she wasn't dead how could he face her after all that he had done? He lowered his robe exposing his face as he went through the mess line. Luke waved him over and he found himself sitting in front of Luke and beside Lando and Han. He wondered if Lando knew of his idenity.

"So you were a prisoner of Darth Vader?" Lando asked. Anakin stared at him, wondering what to say. "That's a tough break. He arrived on Cloud City, promising that the Imperials would leave us alone if I just coorperated, you know." Anakin took a bite of his bantha steak and sipped on jawa juice, savoring the flavor of both. "I'm guessing the Empire didn't feed you like this..." Lando continued. "Anyway, the deal was that I would allow Darth Vader to question Han, he was after your son, you know."

"Yes, I know. Somehow, though, I can't imagine you 'allowing' Darth Vader to do anything."

"Yeah, well, he 'altered the arrangement.' I had thought I could keep Leia and Han safe, but he froze Han in carbonite. Did you not tell General Skywalker about it?"

"No," Han answered sullenly, his head reaching for his blaster on his hip even as he kept it holstered.

"I once froze myself in carbonite," Anakin recalled, "It was during the Clone Wars. It was my plan, I had gone over every detail of the plan, however my padawan wasn't supposed to tag along," he said as Rex, Ahsoka and their daughter sat down making the boys scoot over.

"Well, technically I didn't disobey your orders. Besides, I had permission from Master Plo Kloon."

"I sincerely doubt that Master Plo would override my orders to my padawan," Anakin continued and Ahsoka blushed. "However having my padawan along ended up being a good thing. There weren't many girls on our missions and her small size and stature made it possible to complete our mission. My droid, Artoo and one of the reprogrammed Sepertists droids made it possible for us to infilitrate Grevious's flagship. However, they monitored life forms, so the mission was tricky. If we had been monitored we would have been discovered which was why my team was frozen in carbonite."

"Was the mission a success?" Lando asked.

"General Skywalker's missions were always a success," Rex added. "Maybe things didn't go according to plan, but they were a success."

"Looks like Vader knew the effects of carbonite," Lando commented.

"It was a widely discussed during the Clone Wars," Rex added. "Any Clone under General Skywalker would have talked about it after the fact."

"You trusted a droid."

"I have always trusted Artoo," Anakin replied. Anakin found himself done, and decided it was time for more training, He exited the mess how as quietly as he had come, strode taking long steps as his black cape flew menacing behind him.

"Remind you of anyone?" Han asked.

"Han..." Luke stated in warning.

"What I mean is being a prisoner of Vader won't disappear overnight. He seems to have picked up some of his habits," Han corrected himself.

"I can't imagine what it must have been like for your father, Luke, being a prisoner of Vader. I'm glad you rescued him, Luke," Lando said taking the words at face value.


	9. Chapter 9

Revival

A lone woman who had once been many things in her life awoke for the first time in twenty years. Something had awoken her, though she wasn't sure what. She wasn't sure who she was. She knew she had been young once but felt as if the weight of the galaxy rested upon her shoulders. "Amidala," she heard a voice say, so she assumed that was she. She looked around and placed her hands on her belly. It felt empty. Had she carried life within her? She felt certain that she had. She couldn't place a face of a child or husband. All she saw when she closer her eyes were yellow eyes, and they brought her pain. Had she known those eyes? She wondered, what had they meant to her? She turned to the voice she didn't recognize. She shivered, the man in front of her gave her the creeps.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am your friend," she saw a teenaged boy with red hair. "I am your lover, you confident, my dearest Amidala," he said and even though he appeared sincere, she doubted his words. Something about him seemed fake, as if by believing his words she would betray another.

"My name is Cos Palpatine. I was your Senator during the time of your reign on Naboo," he explained with a seemingly benevolent smile. "I thought I had lost you forever," he stated and his voice seemed to shake with emotion. She smiled, and looked into his eyes.

"You have nothing to fear, I am here..." her lips seemed to stumble over an endearment that she couldn't name. 'My love.' That had been an endearment she had used in the past, so why couldn't she say it to him.

"We have fought for peace and justice, even after your reign, my dear. My apprentice betrayed us. He wished to take you away from me, at every turn. I was too blind to see it. Until he attacked you. When seduction didn't work, he turned to more violent means. I feared you would be lost to me forever."

Was that the eyes that showed themselves? How he must have suffered. She reached out and touched his face, wondering why she recoiled at the touch. She forced herself to smile. "I am safe, Cos. Shall we go home? Where are we?"

"We are at the Palace in Theed. I had you put in a stasis until my healers could hear you. I fear that my apprentice has done everything in his power to destroy me, to destroy us."

"We won't let him win," she said as he helped her to her feet. He placed a robe around her and belted it for her, his eyes lighting up with something that she didn't realize. For some reason she felt like she wanted to vomit when he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"No, my dear, we won't. Everyone who has ever betrayed us will suffer. I will tear the galaxy apart to keep you safe," he said and his eyes flickered so fast that she wasn't sure if she had seen it. "You will be reinstated as Queen and I will have my Empire back, I will not let my apprentice win. He has stolen so much from us, my dear."

"What has he stolen from us?" she asked him.

"Our child," he said, and she watched as tears seemed to fill his eyes.

"Our child," she whispered. His apprentice must truly be evil. "Cos, how could he do such a thing? To kidnap a child from its parents, there's nothing worse. I can't remember our child," she admitted sheepishly.

"A son. He was stolen from us shortly after his birth...we named him Luke," Cos explained to her.

"Our son. We will get him back, I swear it, Cos," she said as he led her to their chambers.

"I saw him, recently. He believes me to be the enemy. My apprentice has turned him against us."

"Oh no, Cos. We will get him back. I will do everything, and anything to do that."

"I know my dear," he held her in his arms and she forced herself to relax in his embrace. "I understand all this has come as a shock and I have quite a bit of work to do. It will take awhile for you to return to your life. I dropped everything as soon as I was told you would survive. After my apprentice's attack, I was so worried, but you are alive. I want to marry you, my dear. I want it to be a huge celebration. You are my Queen. However, we are in the middle of a war and such things must be handled delicately. I want to give you everything that you deserve, Amidala."

"We will marry when our son returns. When we free him from the evil spell of your apprentice." Cos smiled at her, but something about his smile didn't seem quite right, why did it bother her. He placed his hands on her chin and she smiled up at him. He lowered his lips to hers slowly and she had a flash of a scar over blue eyes. A scar she had kissed. She tried to grab hold of the memory but it disappeared before she could grasp it. She submitted to Cos's kiss even as he tongue pursued every inch of her mouth, she felt like she would choke on it. Why didn't she feel like vomiting when he touched her? He was her friend, her lover, the father of her son, why should she feel such revulsion for the man. She made a conscious effort to try and wrapped her arms around him. He was a handsome man, young perhaps. He had red hair and green eyes. He was ambitious to be sure and it seemed to have paid off for now. He finally stopped kissing her and was nuzzling her neck. He cupped her breasts and she nearly screamed. She placed a hand to her head.

"Cos, I'm still feeling weak. May I rest?" she asked. His smile froze and he dropped his hands.

"Of course. I would never cause you grief. I have duties to tend to, I will have your dinner sent up, as always. Perhaps you will feel like joining me tomorrow. I will send your handmaidens to town to buy you some clothes." Amidala nodded absently, glad when he had left. She tried to call the face with the scar to memory but all she had were glimmers of a tan face with a scar above the eye.

Was this man Cos's apprentice? Had she failed him? Had she succumbed to his seduction? Had she broke it off with this man? What was the apprentice's name? What if her child was not Cos's but the apprentice's? If that was so why had he attacked her? There was so much mystery attached to her life. If she could only remember anything besides those yellow eyes that had attacked her. If was what Cos had said. She yearned for someone to talk to besides Cos. Why did Cos's touch distaste her so? He was handsome, ambitious, and he was a good man. She had trusted him, she could sense that.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and felt as if there should be a man in black standing behind her...Cos? She didn't know. Marriage. The thought made her smile, she thought she would make a wonderful wife. She wondered what this war was that she was fighting and what side she and Cos were on? She felt like there should be a droid with her. Had she not had a droid with her? A very special droid. She wished she knew more? Other the Cos and Luke did she have a family? What was her place in the universe. Where did she belong? With her family, with Cos and Luke. She looked into the mirror once more. She would have to start training again, she wanted to look pretty...for Cos? She shook her head as her food was brought in. Hoi-broth soup. There was someone that had been allergic to that, wasn't there. She shook the thought away. She ate the soup, and suddenly felt very drowsy. She climbed into the bed and found herself asleep within moments,

Far away, on the Rebel Base, Anakin had been training. He felt something he hadn't felt in so long. He missed deflected the bolt. The lightsaber fell from his grip as he sunk to his knees. Pain shot through him, pierced him like he hadn't felt since Mustafar. He could feel her. Padme. She was alive. Ahsoka had been watching Anakin. "Get the healers, quickly," she ordered as she used the Force to turn off the droid. "Master, it's going to be okay." She used the Force to check him over, this wasn't a physical pain, so what had happened to him.

Luke Skywalker had been helping his friend, Han Solo, with some adjustments to the _Falcon _when he felt it. He felt a darkness take hold and begin to spread. He could see it in front of him, this great light being swept away by the darkness until the light began to breed darkness. He swayed, and tried to steady himself by grabbing hold of the console. Han looked up at him. "Are you ok, kid?" Luke managed a weak smile. "I'll be fine in a moment. It's just a vision."

"Of things to come? I hope it was of the Empire giving up."

"I'm not sure if its of the present or the future," Luke replied, feeling his knees go weak, he swayed but managed to stay upright. "I should go talk to Dad about this."

"Sure talk to Vader about the Empire, bet that will go over real well."

"Han," Luke admonished.

"Look, I don't dislike him as much as I seem to, I just can't let loose a chance to rib your father. Leia though, she's not a happy camper when it comes to him being here."

"I'll go talk to her."

"Good Luck," Han called after him.

Leia Amidala Organa, sat in the briefing room listening to her friend, Mon Mothma. "We need to have another Chancellor as the Old Republic did," Mon was saying and Leia suddenly felt like she wasn't there. She could see Mon's lips moving and see the other once-Representatives of their planets nods and shake their head. She knew someone would be nominated in a moment. She could feel coldness seep into her skin, into her bones, all she could hear was a manically laugh, she couldn't seem to hear anything, or feel anything even though a part of her functioned normally. And then a scream tore from her throat! She couldn't stop it, she couldn't hold it back. Was she the only one that could feel the terror, the pain, the oppression of the Empire was not over. Anakin and Luke had failed! She couldn't stop even as she heard Mon calling for Han and her brother, even as she felt soothing hands around her, even as she heard that everything would be OK, she screamed until her voice was gone and then she screamed wordlessly. What was wrong with her. She could hear Luke, what was he saying? Something had happened to Anakin. It was his fault she was reacting like this? And then all she could do was cry, the tears coming in waves. As suddenly as it had begun it had stopped. And that's when she noticed Anakin. He was sobbing, he was curled up in a fetal positions as sobs racked his body. Had he done this to her? What had happened to her? She had never felt anything so cold, so twisted. Was this what being Vader had felt like?


	10. Pain

Pain

Luke had been visiting his father with the Healers every day for a month. His father was in grave pain, although physically he was healthy. Luke couldn't seem to get past the barriers in his father's mind. Even through the pain, Anakin remained motionless except for one word that continuously escaped his father's lips. "Padme." Luke and Leia's mother.

The meeting between Anakin and the Empire was on hold until his father awoke. Some of the smaller bases had taken hits, some of them had been captured. Luke, Han, and Lando along with other fighters had done what they could. Even Rex, Ahsoka, and Padme Tano had left the base to fight. There were huge bounties on their head to be taken dead or alive. Some of the retired Clones from the Clone Wars had sworn to Rex that the Emperor lived, and he didn't know whether to take this as speculation or something that had gone wrong in their engineering.

When Luke visited his father, sometimes Leia accompanied. She couldn't hate the man lying before her. He didn't remind her of Darth Vader when he was vulnerable, when he was suffering, when he was unable or unwilling to speak to her. Between them, the twins had discussed their different strong experiences of that day and they were both weary of what that suggested for the Future of the Republic. The twins were both fighting and would never give up fighting for freedom.

Luke got up as he did every day and trained before showering and going to visit his father. Sometimes his sister would come with him, sometimes she wouldn't. His father's hair had grown, it was both longer and darker than Luke's own. His father's skin had darkened so that the paleness had left it. Sometimes Mara Jade would accompany him, but most of the time he barely noticed him. This time however was different. "Padme," his father whispered again. But this time Luke felt a stirring from the Force. Anakin's eyelids fluttered and suddenly they opened staring straight at him. "She's alive, Luke. You felt it?" Anakin pleaded.

"I don't think I felt her. I think I felt the Emperor," Luke responded sadly.

"He's got her," Anakin whispered, running his hands through his tangled hair. "We've got to save her."

"We don't know where to look!" Luke cried, exasperated.

* * *

"He would have her. We follow her presence," Anakin said as if stating the obvious as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "First, I must construct a new lightsaber. You know where Obi-Wan hid during Exile?" Anakin asked his son. He noticed the hesitation and it angered him. "What harm can I do to Obi-Wan now? I know Obi-Wan he would have kept something to construct a lightsaber. I cannot go rescuing your mother without a proper Jedi weapon, son."

"I'll take you."

"Thank you."

"But you should rest."

"I have rested enough already."

"You will need to put a team together," Leia stated, coming from behind. She had sensed something and had followed him.

"Never needed anyone but myself before," Anakin grumbled. "I killed him once, I will destroy him again. Sithspit on my destiny. Can I never escape it?"

"What destiny?" Leia asked curiously. Anakin ignored her, it wasn't something he liked to talk about. He didn't want to be the Chosen One. He never had.

"Prepare a TIE fighter for me," he ordered as he went down to the mess hall to eat. He ate quickly and quietly and showered and changed into a flight suit. He reached out, he felt her. She had been subdued before, but now, her presence was burning. He couldn't fight Sidious without his weapon, his grip on the Dark Side wasn't what it had been, and even then it had never been as strong as Sidious.

"I'm coming with you," Leia stated.

"Princess, that's not necessary," Anakin replied as he readied Artoo and did an inspection of his star ship.

"Why not? She's my mother. That's who you are going to save, isn't it?"

"Yes," Anakin answered. "You aren't ready. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you," he replied quietly. "You have no idea what you will be dealing with."

"He nearly killed you before."

"That's inconsequential, Princess."

"I'm going," she stated again. "I am one of the Leaders of the New Republic and if I don't go I will make it very difficult for you to leave."

"Blackmail, Leia?"

"Whatever works."

"Fine. Tell Captain Solo that I will be leaving in 30 minutes."

"I'm not leaving your side. I don't trust you." Anakin turned around to face her.

"You think I would hurt Luke?" he asked, his eyes betraying hurt and betrayal as if she had betrayed him. She was finding it hard to hate him. Yes, she could be angry with him, but hate him, it was like hating Luke. So Luke, Leia, Anakin and Artoo set off for Tattooine. Finally, they arrived. Anakin lamented the bright orange of his flight suit and Luke wished for lighter colored clothes against the twin suns of Tattooine. Only Leia was dressed in white.

* * *

Meanwhile, on Naboo, Amidala as she knew herself sat down enjoying a meal in Theed Palace. She was waited on hand and foot, and had developed a friendship with Cos. She devoted her time to finding her son. "Tell me about your apprentice," she told Cos. He motioned for her to sit in her lap and she obliged. It seemed the only time he would tell her anything was when she would submit to his will. She sighed as she allowed him to stroke her. Thankfully, he hadn't moved too far, he seemed content to nuzzle and kiss her, and her heart pounded loudly with lust? Fear? Whenever she allowed such touches. She sat on his lap as he undid her top and began to talk to her, fondling her breasts quite harshly. There were days that she had bruises on them but she had to hear what he had to say and if she refused he would become silent...like someone else she had known. "My dear, my apprentice, Vader, was once a Jedi. He doesn't believe in anything. He slaughtered the Jedi against my Orders."

"You were a Jedi?"

"No," he drew his fingers to her nipples tugging painfully on one of them. "I was a Force-wielder, feared by the Jedi, they feared what they did not understand. I had hoped that we could live together peacefully, but Vader had other plans. He slaughtered them and he didn't stop with the masters," he said and stopped as he bit her flesh, and she recoiled. She had already learned that voicing any pain only amused him, so she didn't squawk even though something told her this was wrong, this wasn't how it was supposed to be. She blinked back tears when he bit into her flesh...for Luke. "He murdered the children. He tried to kill you and our child," he said tearing the material of her gown.

She was sitting there on his lap, unsure how to respond to him. A voice inside of her, whispered of the longing she had once felt, of the kindness once shown. Had losing their child done this to him? Had he always been this way? Had she been lovers with Vader? Had he found out? Was that why he was so rough with her? Did he love her? Did she love him? "Stand up," he said, his voice turning harsh as he pushed her from him. "Take off you clothes," he ordered. She stood, clutching the remnants of her dress. She thought about refusing but she could feel herself moving to do what was commanded of her. There was a way to block him, she felt and instantly she mentally pushed against him forcing the power away from her. Where had she learned this?

"You allowed him to seduce you, to turn you against me," he bit out. So that was it.

"I'm sorry. No," she shook her head. "I wouldn't, Ani." Suddenly, she found Cos's hands gentle as he removed the rest of her clothes, he scooped her up and carried her to their bedroom.

"My dear, I am sorry," he said. "Forgive me," he said, but she felt as if a snake were crawling in her brain. He lowered his lips to hers and began teasing her lips. "I have a lot of responsibility on me for one so young. We both do. I am the Emperor and you will become my Empress. We will rule the world. No one will take anything from us again. Ever. We will together destroy Vader, and get our son back. Everything will be perfect." He untied the rope binding her chest. "I can't bare to lose you," he told her. "I will change, I will be different. This thing with my apprentice will not get the best of me. Forgive me?" Padme nodded and kissed him back. How could she not? She had betrayed him with the very man who had tried to kill him, kill them both. She gave herself over to her lover. He would change. It was really her fault after all.

"Tell me about Luke." She would endure anything to find her child.

"Luke was strong in the Force. It was the reason I became Emperor to keep the Jedi from taking him. They did that. They took infants from their parents. Vader killed them all. He tried to kill me. He was only concerned with power. He thought that by killing the Jedi he gained their power. I thought he was going to kill you and our child. I was worried about you. While I tended to you, he kidnapped our infant son, turned him on us. He thinks we are the bad guys. He's just like you, Amidala," Cos told her.

"Luke believes he's Vader's son. He was obsessed with you, he believed you should have been his. I confess, I was friends with my apprentice. I cared for him. His betrayal hurt me, but to take our child. I went out of my mind. I couldn't think, couldn't eat. I searched for him, but only found him recently. Even after murdering the Jedi, he trained him as a Jedi. The boy, our son, is the last of the Jedi."

"Why would Vader do that?" Amidala asked.

"Take off my clothes," he ordered and she did as was ask shaking and feeling violently ill as she did so. She expected him to hurt her but he just laid there and she realized when she had finished disrobing her that he had fallen asleep. She sighed in relief, as she went to fresher to vomit. She couldn't stop shaking, why was she so afraid of this man? Even after all he had told her she couldn't seem to react toward him as she should. There was something she had said earlier that had changed his attitude what was it? What had she said. Think, Amidala, think, she was sorry that she had betrayed him. She sagged on the door frame and watched him. She was going to see what she could do on her own. She quickly dressed. Black. Her whole wardrobe was black. In her mind she saw a flash of color, but disregarded it. She moved silently throughout the castle wondering what she would accomplish by going to Theed.

* * *

Meanwhile, on Tattooine, Luke led the way. "Obi-Wan settled here?" Anakin asked, as he saw the small hut. He could feel Obi-Wan's presence, radiating in the Force. He knew that once-again he would meet his old master. He entered the hovel and looked around, feeling the steps Obi-Wan took. He began his meditation as he awaited Obi-Wan's presence. Luke and Leia hung back as they watched him.

"Is he alright?" Leia asked her brother. "I mean he is the one that murdered Obi-Wan."

"It wasn't him. It was Vader," Luke argued. Leia rolled her eyes. Anakin pulled out several black robes and changed.

"I can't believe he kept these." He was taking the trunk with him. Obi-Wan would have left it to him anyway. He had been Anakin's true master.

"Anakin," he heard from behind him.

"Master Obi-Wan," he said happily. "I was hoping to find you here. All those years I searched and you were here all that time."

"Yes, I knew it was the one place you would never look."

"It was risky. It was the only reason I cooperated with the Death Star, I was going to destroy this planet once and for all. There were only bad memories buried here."

"Surely, there was some good memories. This is where we met, after all. There will be time to reminiscent later. You must save your wife."

"Padme...is she alright?" Anakin asked slowly, feeling as if he didn't have the right to ask.

"Physically she's healthy, but the longer you wait the more emotional damage is befalling her."

"Because of me."

"Not directly. I cannot tell you anymore than that. She is on Naboo, Anakin. You must hurry."

"I will. Master, I will do whatever I can to undo what I have done."

"The Force will always be with you, and so will I." Anakin found his lightsaber. It seemed impossible but there it was clipped to his belt. Anakin picked up the chest and took it back to the starship silent except for giving the coordinates.


	11. Chapter 11

Rescue

"Dad, what happened?" Luke asked.

"Put in the coordinates for Naboo," his father said in way of an answer.

"Anakin, what happened? I see you have a lightsaber."

"It's mine," was the only reply he gave as he looked at the weapon. How long ago had it been?

"_Master Obi-Wan always tells me 'this weapon is your life.' He's wrong, Padme. You are my life. Here. Take it. Its yours," he told her putting the lightsaber in her hand and closing her fingers around it. "My life is in your hands."_

"_It's heavier than I thought."_

"_Taking a life is never an easy thing, Padme. But it's something that we as Jedi are sometimes called to do. My life is in your hands. I won't defend myself if you decide to take it. What would I do without you?"_

"_Anakin."_

"_Say the word and I'll leave the Order. We could start again, away from the war. Just us. And our love."_

"_Anakin...hide," she whispered as Senators came in and Anakin dashed behind the desk, pulling up the bottom of her Senator gown to touch her legs. She quivered at the touch and tried to maintain that Senatorial face. She sighed as Anakin stopped for she was being led out._

As Anakin had recalled the memory, Padme remembered. Padme, Amidala thought why did that name sound so familiar. Anakin, she had loved him. What of Cos and Vader, how did they fit into all this. She stopped a woman in Theed. "Do you know Luke?" she asked, and showed them the holo of him she had.

"Commander Skywalker, yeah, Lord Vader was chasing him all over the galaxy." If Vader had raised Luke then why had he chased him? And why was her son going by Skywalker instead of Vader or Palpatine? It didn't make sense. She had been able to see Anakin's face. The scar had been there. She was unsure if she should tell Cos about Anakin, what if she had betrayed Cos again? What type of woman did that make her? This didn't make any sense. In her memory of Anakin, she had felt so many things that she never felt for Cos. Why wasn't she with this Anakin instead of Cos. As if speculation of this Anakin was enough. She saw him. He was right in front of her, he had the look of a ghost as he rushed to her. There was guilt in his eyes. She could read him like a book. As he reached her side, she turned and she heard Cos.

"Amidala, come here," she froze as Anakin dropped to his knees in front of her and hugged her belly. "It's Vader."

"I know I don't deserve it," he whispered to her. "But come with me." She felt as if she could trust him, but there were other emotions surfacing.

"You are Vader?" she asked him. She saw the guilt in his eyes. "No, I will not. Get away from me. You have hurt me for the last time," she backed away from him. "How could you? You murdered children." Anakin remained on his knees, and he couldn't speak. He looked over at the teenager. He had no presence in the Force. There was something odd about him, and yet familiar.

"Padme."

"No. Stop, that isn't my name. My name is Amidala. You are trying to trick me. Cos said you would." She looked away from Anakin or Vader as Cos said he was.

"I have never tried to trick you, Padme. Despite all my faults, I truly deeply love you," he whispered.

Darth Sidious watched the interaction between Amidala and his treacherous apprentice and tried to decide the best course of action. He had told her the truth, Vader had murdered younglings...on his orders. He used his powers to allow her to remember Vader choking her, that coupled with the truth was enough that Amidala didn't trust her husband. She had always held Vader back, he never could forget Amidala. He couldn't use much of the Force and though it had surprised him to see Vader looking as he had when he was a Jedi Knight, he was able to disguise his Force presence from him, just barely. The best course of action was very little. Let Amidala hurt him, he deserved it. It was taking more Force power to manipulate the Senator than he had thought, if it hadn't taken so much and to maintain this clone body, he would have claimed her body as his own, but to manipulate her it took a lot of Dark Side power.

"Padme, you cannot stay here. Master Obi-Wan.." Sidious snarled upon hearing Vader refer to Obi-Wan as his master and felt his hold on masking his presence slip. Vader looked at him.

"Who is he?" Sidious heard the voice of Vader question.

"Cos is my friend, my lover," she replied, and Sidious heard the intake of breathe, and he smiled. He breathed in the hurt Vader elicited, wrapping it around the aura of pain. He licked his lips.

"What happened to you, Padme?"

"No, Anakin, what happened to you? Why did you become Vader?" she replied, stepping away from him. She drew on the power of the two memories she had. One of Anakin and the other of the yellow eyes of Vader. Anakin pulled himself from the floor and stood up, rocking on his heels as he towered over her. His voice broke as he leaned down and whispered into her ear.

"I did it for you, Padme. I did it to protect you, to protect our children."

"You believe Luke was yours?" she asked incredulously.

"Without a doubt," he replied confused. Was she admitted to betraying him. He took a breathe, what Sidious had said couldn't be true, she hadn't... she wouldn't betray him.

A memory stirred deep within Padme.

"_I'm not afraid to die. I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_I love you."_

"_You love me? I thought we had decided not to fall in love. That we'd be forced to live a lie and that it would destroy our lives."_

"_I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. I truly... deeply... love you and before we die I want you to know_," _she reached up and she kissed him, and it was real and true and it came from both their hearts, tying their destinies together as it bonded them for life._

"Stop that. You are trying to trick me, Cos warned me," she sent a look to her companion. Anakin's eyes narrowed on the teenaged youth.

"Cos," Anakin addressed him. "What do you know of me?" Cos projected enough emotion for Anakin to pick up on. He never did look behind the obvious unless need be. He stood between his former apprentice and Amidala.

"Enough. Leave her alone."

"You seek to protect her from me?" Anakin asked his voice rising in octave.

"Do you not destroy whatever you touch?" Anakin flushed as he looked at the youth.

"Padme, please. Come with me. He's too young for you, Angel," he said, his voice gentle. "If you don't want me around I can accept that. I will even leave you be, my love." Padme felt her heart soften, and then she reminded herself of his powers.

"I can't. I l...love Cos," she replied, placing her arms around him. Anakin's eyes narrowed.

"I know I have hurt you, my love but I fear for your saftey. Master Obi-Wan came to me, he believes you should come with me."

"Just leave me alone." Anakin bowed to her.

"If you ever need me, all you have to do is think of me, and I will be here as soon as I can. There's nothing I will not do for you, milady," he whispered. Amidala could feel the tears welling up inside of her as she cried on Cos's jacket. "You look fetching, Senator," he replied as he turned and walked away.

"I thought he would attack you, apparently he's gone back to his old ways. He's trying to seduce you again."

"It won't work, Cos," she assured him, even though her emotions were like a whirlpool. Both she and Anakin missed how his eyes glowed yellow, and the smile that broke his face in half. He had succeeded in tearing them apart. Amidala was allowing him more liberties than ever. She needed him, not Vader. This would be his ultimate victory over his apprentice. He pulled her closer and began kissing her, for the first time she responded willingly. Vader was the key to seducing his wife. He would have his way with her whenever he wanted, and every time he did he would think of Vader's pain, Vader's cries, and how she would cry out his name, not Vader's. She had been Vader's whore, and now she was his. As she had been Vader's weakness she would be punished for she could never be a weakness for him. One day, he would tell Vader of how she had moaned for Sidious and then he would rip out her lying tongue and kill her right in front of him as she watched Vader die slowly, a quick death was too good for the traitor.


	12. Rejected

Rejected

Anakin Skywalker was a broken man, she had broken him, in a way that even his body on Mustafar hadn't. She loved him, he could feel it, but there was something off about him. And who was Cos? ' Just leave me alone' Padme had said. But he wouldn't, he couldn't leave Naboo, even if it meant his death. He found himself in Valykino, in the Lake House. This had been their home and he wouldn't leave unless he was forced.

"_Don't let our love force you out of the Order," she had said as she opened herself to him, as she hugged and kissed him assuring herself that he was safe, that he had returned to her._

"_Force me out of the Order?" Anakin had laughed. "Is that a pun?" They had snuck away Anakin carrying her at Jedi speed back to their apartment. "I am the luckiest man in the universe. Our love is something we should shout out, not keep confined to the shadows."_

"_Anakin, I won't force you to give up your dreams."_

"_You aren't forcing me, Padme. I give them to you willingly. _ As Anakin remembered, so did Padme: the memories flowed through their bond, however damaged it may be. He had always conducted most of his business here when on leave from the Army and the Jedi, he would do what he could to end the war, though if the Emperor was alive, it wouldn't be easy. He found a bottle of Corellian Ale and in a rare moment he drunk from the bottle. He had never been much of a drinker had never needed. Right now, though, he wanted his connection to the Force to dull. He settled himself in a room that Padme had discussed turning into a nursery.

"Dad?" he heard a voice coming from somewhere although he couldn't place it. He had killed her. He had killed Anakin Skywalker and he had killed their unborn child, hadn't he?

"Anakin...Father?" he heard a second voice. A female voice. Luke and Leia, he thought hazily as he brought the bottle up to his lips again.

"Leia, help me carry him."

"I still can't believe we found him. Is the Emperor really here?"

"Can you not feel it?" Luke asked his sister.

"I don't know what I feel, but how can he fight in this condition."

"He can't."

"Of course I can...Am the Chosen One," he slurred.

"Chosen What?" Leia questioned. Luke shot her a 'He's drunk' look.

"Can't die til bring Balance to the Force. Stupid Emperor, die already," Anakin slurred. "Don't deserve to live. Doesn't want me around," he slurred again. Leia made a grab for the bottle of ale but for a drunk he was surprisingly swift.

"Luke?" Leia asked and Luke used the Force to send the Ale away. Then, Luke pulled his father's towering height over him.

"Where we were going to put the baby." Anakin slurred looking at the room. "Padme idea." Leia looked around, from Anakin back to the room overlooking the gardens. She felt sorry for him. He really had wanted to be a father, and they were grown. She placed a hand on his arm, and assisted her brother in carrying him to the bedroom.

"Do you think he drunk before we were born?"

"I doubt it, Leia," her brother said as they left their father to sleep. "He had nightmares about our mother dying. He hadn't slept or ate for days maybe weeks before, you know what state of mind that creates," Luke said to her. "And when he did sleep, it was too late. He was under the Emperor's command and power. Everything he knew had been destroyed."

"By him," Leia whispered.

"But gone, still. He thought he had killed us and Mother. Obi-Wan was the enemy, who else was there in his life?"

Leia didn't answer. She was going to forgive him, although it didn't excuse what he had done, she could understand it better. Luke and Leia fell asleep discussing Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan. Luke felt something in the Force and went to a window, what he saw was Rex, Ahsoka and Padme. They had come to help...and in the distance was Han and Lando. They were all here to help the Skywalkers'. Luke settled back in and was asleep before he knew it. The Skywalker family was under one roof.

Anakin Skywalker woke up with a splitting headache and placed his head in his hands, as he wondered if he should try a healer technique or if he deserved it.

"Here, Anakin, this will help," he heard and felt the presence of his former padawan.

"Thanks, Snips," he replied. He still had her padawan braid. He had recovered it from his old room at the Temple after his raid on it, and kept it safe. The guilt over Ahsoka had never really left him. "Ahsoka, I should have left the Order with you," he told her.

"Why didn't you? I know the Order disappointed you."

"I was going to," he replied, sipping on the tea she had handed him. "I wanted the Chancellor's opinion and his support. I had to know I was doing the right thing. The War was still going on, and I didn't know who I was if I wasn't a Jedi," Anakin shrugged. "And then they kidnapped Padme. Once she was safe, I discussed leaving with Master Obi-Wan," Anakin trailed off, "There was the whole 'destiny' thing and then Obi-Wan and I were sent to the Outer Rim Sieges until Palpatine was kidnapped and then things spun out of control. The Jedi failed you, Snips. I failed you."

"No, Anakin, even when the Jedi failed me you never did."

"You know that I can't give up the Dark Side. It's something I haven't been able to tell anyone. I'm the only one that can handle it, can control it, as is my destiny."

"I know, Master."

"Do you want me to break our bond?" he asked her.

"No," she shook her head. "Even though your presence, it has been comforting to know that you are alive. I did what I could, without our bond, I couldn't have reached you at all."

Anakin should have realized her comforting presence during some of the heard times in his life. "Padme doesn't want me around," Anakin lamented.

"You don't feel it. Something is off with her. You protected me over the years, although I could have done without the dreams of fighting Master Obi-Wan."

"I could have done without the reality of it," Anakin stated and Ahsoka nodded.

"I know what he did," she said, speaking of the Emperor. "It was cruel what he did." Anakin just nodded, clenching and unclenching his still mechanical hand.

"The dreams were no picnic. I know why you did what you did. If I had known I would have returned." Anakin nodded, it would have taken awhile for his memories to reach her.

"He was so cruel to you," she added again. "When he found you, he wanted you to suffer."

"I know," he replied, squeezing her hand with his human one. "So you and Rex...Congratulations, young one."

"Sometimes I saw you...I felt your presence, but you would leave before I could work out a plan to come see you."

"I know," Anakin replied again.

"Come on, I'll fix you breakfast," Ahsoka offered. Anakin released her hand, and stood up. He looked in and smiled at how Luke and Leia had fallen asleep. Both stretched on the couch, both in the same position. They must have slept like that in their mother's womb. Anakin reached out for blankets and put one around Luke taking in the shades and colors of his hair and skin, to be able to see without the red haze of the mask was rare. He ruffled his son's hair affectionatly. Luke reminded him of his old Jedi Master more than anyone else. He then turned to his daughter. Leia, he pressed his lips to his forehead, even though he wasn't used to affections. "I hope one day you will forgive all the harm I have caused you."

"I do," she whispered, looking up at him. "I forgive you, Father." Tears filled Anakin's eyes, as she hugged him. Awkwardly, Anakin returned her hug.

"Leia," he whispered. "You don't know what I've done. I will never be able to set right the wrong I have done." Leia pulled back and watched as the tears that had filled his eyes spilled forth. "All I've brought is a legacy of pain."

Ahsoka came in with breakfast for her former master. Anakin wiped his eyes and Ahsoka pretended not to notice.

"Father," Leia replied. "You can't stay here, you must make the Empire stand down."

Anakin nodded. "Alright. To my palace. Leia, stay here. Stay with your brother, and protect Padme Tano," he ordered. He wasn't quite sure why her eyes narrowed except it reminded him of her mother. "Keep watch over your mother, she's with a guy named Cos. I fear for her." Anakin ate quickly and showered in the fresher and gathered Ahsoka and Rex so that he could head off. He looked back at his children.

"It's never easy, Skyguy."

"Let's get a move on, General."

"Master Kenobi was right, you are always on the move," Ahsoka replied. Anakin nodded as he headed to his TIE fighter.

"Let's go, team."


	13. Chapter 13

Vader's Palace

Anakin led the way to his Palace on Imperial Center with Rex and Ahsoka following behind him. "He must have been formidable as Vader," Rex told his wife. "He has always had this walk, this command about him. Being a General of the 501st and then becoming the second in command, power suits him."

"A Jedi does not crave power, Anakin taught me that," Ahsoka replied as she reached out and squeezed her husband's hand.

"I can't believe we're back here, following General Skywalker."

"We can trust him."

"I do, darling. I have always trusted him." Rex and Ahsoka flanked Anakin as he entered the access code allowing him access to the Palace the Emperor had insisted he acquire to show the Galaxy how the Emperor awarded those who were loyal to him. As he entered he felt rather than saw droids pointing weapons at him.

"Who are you and how did you get in here."

"I am Darth Vader, and that should be all the explanation you need."

"Submitting a DNA scan," he waited. "Proceed."

"My most trusted friends," Anakin added, "As one of the most feared men in the Galaxy you never can be too careful," Anakin told his friends. Rex and Ahsoka marveled at the sheer size of the palace. Anakin stood next to the menacing statue of Lord Vader that the Emperor had commissioned. It only towered over him by a few centimeters. Anakin couldn't seem to take his eyes off of it. Had it really just been a few months ago since he had been trapped in the Death Suit? Anakin shook his head to clear it, and strode forward to his throne and sat there. He had never noticed how uncomfortable it was, of course when his whole body was in pain, it wasn't torturous to be uncomfortable. "Feel free to look around," he told Ahsoka and Rex. "Meet me here at 2200 hours," he told them. "That's when the Moff's are due to arrive."

Ahsoka and Rex nodded as they went off to explore Vader's Palace. "He's been different since he has been from of that hideous armor," Ahsoka commented. "I think the Emperor used it somehow to keep Anakin on the dark side, it's a wonder he was able to break free and free Luke."

"As long as I've known him Skywalker has made the impossible appear merely difficult."

"I hope he's got something to eat," Ahsoka added, looking through the kitchen. She was going to cook something. She had found that she loved to cook.

Meanwhile Anakin Skywalker went to his personal chambers and retrieved Ahsoka's padawan braid and his and Padme's wedding rings. He sorted through a trunk and had droids take it aboard his shuttle. It was all that was left of his life with Padme. If he intended to bring her back, he would need some things. He put in a transmission on Naboo ordered a bouquet of leias being sent to Padme.

Leias were flowers that had grown near Padme's childhood home, that moved through shades of pink and yellow, they bloomed only once every eight three years, however he knew someone who was in the business of marketing that particular flower and Anakin would pay handsomely for it. She would have to think of him when she saw it. The petals were made of silk, and Anakin had once made a bed of those flowers as a surprise for their anniversary.

Anakin returned to his throne after he had finished, contemplating what else he could do to woo his wife. He watched as Ahsoka brought food and settled beside him, a smile on her face as she fed Rex. He laughed to before he flanked Anakin and their expressions became as grim as Anakin's own. It was time for the Moff's to filter in. And they began doing so. Anakin's lips twitched into a smile that he didn't allow himself to show as he saw Admiral Piett, he hoped Leia could find a place for him in the Alliance. Anakin left the robe over his head, hiding his features.

"Excuse me, why are we here? And who are you?" one of the Moff's commented.

"We have more important matters than to listen to you," another one said. "The Jedi are extinct, who are you kidding."

"Except for Luke," said another one.

"He's a half-baked half-trained Jedi at most," stated the first one.

"Where is Patel?" Anakin asked, not seeing him.

"Here's off on a mission. To destroy the Rebellion once and for all." Anakin frowned.

"What is the mission?" he asked.

"What are you doing in Vader's throne?" asked another one, and Anakin was having his patience tested.

"I am your Lord, Darth Vader," Anakin replied, his voice low and menacing. "Piett?" Anakin questioned.

"Yes...mi lord," Piett replied.

"I am also Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master." The room was an outcry. "And as your Lord I am negotiating our surrender to the Alliance." There was a gasp.

"You can't."

"I can and will. Emperor Palpatine left me in charge. The time of the Empire is over, although it will not happen overnight. As my first order of business. All slavery is abolished. If you do not end it, I will. Every one deserves their freedom, and I cannot stand by and condole the slavery of another while his rights are being violated."

"But there are animals!" Admiral Thrawn stated, disgusted with Vader. Anakin reacted quickly he used the Force to pick him up.

"You are the animal, Thrawn. The only way I would allow slavery is for you and those like you to experience slavery first hand, do I make myself clear?" he added using the Force to put pressure on the former's neck as he had always done.

"Y – y-yes," Thrawn gasped.

"Good. You are to cease all attacks on the Alliance. I will not have Skywalker, Solo, or Organo become targets. If they are harmed whoever is behind it will suffer ten-fold do I make myself clear?" Anakin asked without raising his tone. Perhaps because he was so quiet that was what frightened the Imperials the most.

"Milord, may I speak to you privately?" Piett asked.

"Certainty. Oh, and I nominate Rex and Ahsoka as my second and third in command. Treat them as you would me."

Anakin listened to his Admiral's words, his face contorting in anger. "This is the truth?" he asked.

"Absolutely, I didn't want them to believe me a traitor..but you needed to know."

"Thank you, Admiral. You will have a long career ahead of you. You have my word on that."

"Thank you, milord."

"You will travel with me, Piett. Go to my shuttle, we will be leaving within the hour. Contact Commander Skywalker and Captain Solo."

"Yes, milord." Anakin returned to his throne.

"Unfortunately, I have been called away on important business. We will have to schedule a conference at a later day."

"Emperor Vader?"

"Skywalker. I am Anakin Skywalker," he repeated. "All are adjourned."

"Anakin, what's going on?" Ahsoka asked, concerned.

"We must return to Naboo and hope that everyone is unharmed. It appears without the Emperor or me around they listened to the Vizier who is intent on eliminating everyone in the Alliance."

"Sithspit," Ahsoka cursed.

"They will pay for it, but now we have to stop all assassination attempts or kidnappings," Anakin replied.

"After you, General." Anakin looked around Vader's shuttle and smiled.

"Strap yourselves in."

"Setting a course for Naboo," Ahsoka added.

"How soon can we enter light speed."

"Ten seconds, General."

"Alright. Rex check to make sure the deflector shields are working, and the weapons. Artoo, run a system check," Anakin added. "Piett, are you still here?" Anakin asked.

"He's alive, Vader," he heard as he felt a viberblade at his throat. "I could never get this close to you before but now...your life is in my hands.

"I think not," Anakin said with a smile. "You don't frighten me. You see you have no idea what I'm capable of. I could end your life before you could blink," he stated, darkly. "But the fault is not yours, but that of the Dark Side it infects everything and everyone."

"Anakin," Ahsoka stated as she used the Force to pull the vibroblade from his hand.

"Lock him up," Captain Rex said as Piett came stumbling in, too late to warn them.

"Aye, Aye sir."

"You will pay Vader. You will pay for betraying the Emperor. You will pay with your life, and the life of Skywalker."

"Ahsoka, pilot," he stated as Anakin walked over to Thrawn and punched him in the face. The Dark Side of him tasted fear, tasted blood, but Anakin recoiled from that part of himself. "You better hope no harm has come to him. Piett, take him away."

"Entering lightspeed, Anakin," he heard and he sighed in relief. At one time he would have thrown Thrawn out to the vacuum of space but now, he had to destroy the infection of the Dark Side and truly bring balance to the Force.


	14. Discoveries

Padme's Discovery

Anakin Skywalker had been traveling between planets for the past few days, it wasn't much different from the days of the Clone Wars, so Anakin gladly left the flying to Ahsoka, Artoo, and Rex and caught up on some much needed and hopefully dreamless sleep. Memories slipped through, and he could feel Padme in them. Padme had felt so different on Naboo. 'Stop, that's not my name.' She had said when he called her Padme. 'Amidala' Cos had called her. He had been certain he would find Padme with Palpatine, but he had found her with a youth, who had very little presence in the Force. The man, Cos, he had been called had just seemed curious and concerned, and Anakin would never force anything upon his wife.

"_Padme, this is the happiest day of my life."_

"_What about the Council, if they find out that you're the father, they won't allow you to continue being a Jedi, and I doubt the Queen will allow me to serve."_

"_This is a happy moment," Anakin said, drawing her deeper into his arms and tilting her chin up to his. "We aren't going to worry about this, Padme."_

"_You don't worry enough," she grumbled as she met his lips. He laughed._

"_And you, my love, worry too much. Come on, let's go to bed," he said and he hefted her up, even pregnant and carried her to their room. _

Padme sat up panting. She looked over at Cos who appeared to be sleeping. What had that meant? Was it another trick from Vader? She had loved him, she could feel it, it was more alive in memories than anything she felt in life. She felt something whenever she had these memories, as if she was more connected, more bonded to the man in them than anything she felt, the emotions, the feeling she felt in them took her breathe away and made her a little dizzy from emotion. She placed her hand on her belly. Why would she tell this...Anakin that she was pregnant? Why did it feel so right to be with him? And yet, when she had been face to face to him she had felt...fear. Overwhelming fear and an urge to run from him, and still there had been a need to protect him, to soothe him. Padme wished she could remember something, anything.

The only times she remembered were when she felt him, and she wasn't quite sure how. Should she leave Cos? Where would she go? She didn't know anyone besides Vader and Cos...and Luke. She had been pregnant with Luke she was sure of it, and he had still lifted her easily. Padme shook her head. Amidala, that was her name. So why had Vader called her Padme. That name felt right as well. She had been Queen of this planet, that much Cos had told her. So there had to be some clue on this planet. Automatically, she shielded her thoughts from Cos though how she had learned this she had no idea. She opened the door to go out and one of her handmaidens came in.

"Look, Queen Amidala, this is for you. Aren't they lovely?" the handmaiden asked as she thrust yellow and pink flowers toward her.

"Leias," Padme mummered as she was struck with another memory, only this time she didn't feel him in them.

"_Anakin, please let me see," she told him from behind his human hand._

"_No peaking, Padme, it's a surprise. I had to go through so length to get them and I want it to be a surprise," he added, laughter in his voice._

"_Ani," she pretended to pout, as she followed him, she trusted him. She knew they had arrived home, but she didn't let on._

"_Three-poi," she heard and he turned her to face him._

"_Alright, Padme," he said taking his hand off of her eyes and lacing his fingers with it. "You can turn around now." She did as he said and her breathe hitched in her throat. There were small candles around the darkened room, and leis everywhere, covering the bed, the flowers were in varying colors of yellow and pink. Flowers that she knew bloomed only once every eighty some years._

"_Oh, Ani, you shouldn't have gone through so much trouble," she said, looking into his clear blue eyes. "It's too much, and it must have cost a fortune."_

"_Nonsense, I only had to call in a few favors."_

"_You didn't give away our secret did you?"_

"_No, but I would if you would ask me to."_

"_I couldn't ask you to give up your dreams, Anakin," she said as she melted into him. And for once everything felt right in the world. She had never imagined that that little boy from Tatooine could make her feel more precious that the rarest of jewels. No other man had treated her as if she was some angel, some goddess that he happened to stumble into, one that made both their lives the better for it._

"Milady?" she heard, and realized she had been staring off into the distance.

"Yes, Tanel. Put these in water, please. Thank you."

Was the memory real? It sure felt real. She remembered the feel of his lips on her ear as he had whispered that he became Vader for her and their children, what did that mean? There was something significant about the leias, but what. Suddenly, she had an image of a dark-haired newborn babe, but it disappeared from her so quickly. Was it a niece of hers? A cousin? She knew she had a son, but a daughter? Was it possible? What if Cos had lied to her? What purpose would that serve? He had taken care of her, kept her safe, she owed him her life...she had to trust him. She walked around the palace of Theed, feeling images but nothing more. This had been her home once, but she didn't feel as if she belonged here.


	15. Chapter 15

Luke's Discovery

Luke was furious with his father. After all they had been through together the older man just left him. He knew that Anakin felt he was protecting him, but really. Luke had been there with Anakin when he had shed off Vader and saved his life. They hadn't been parted except for the missions Luke had gone on while his father was in the Force- induced coma. And Palpatine was alive, he knew it, he felt it. They were stronger together. Especially with the Emperor on the loose.

Luke was looking into discovering everything about the Empire, which he could do better with his father's help. Leia had explained why his father had left, because she had asked him to put an end to the Rebellion and it was in this act that Leia put her trust in their father. Luke had released his feeling into the Force several times but he couldn't get over this feeling of helplessness. Besides his father and Ahsoka, he was the last Jedi, and if the Emperor was around...he shuddered at the thought. What if the Emperor captured his father again? He wouldn't be happy with the fact that his father had turned traitor.

Luke took a walk down Amidala beach. His parents had been here once, he was sure of it. Anakin's attitude before he had left, left Luke unsure of how to proceed in his search for more Jedi. The only Jedi he had mentioned was Ahsoka and currently she was off with his Father so he had no one to learn from, and he needed to be prepared for an attack from the Emperor. It was coming...he could feel the dark, cold presence it was so different than anything he had ever felt from his father, even before he learned how to sense. Anakin was doing everything he could to make it up to both of them and to the galaxy.

He wondered if the Imps would believe Anakin, would it not be obvious that Anakin was not Vader even if he had spent all of Luke's life trapped behind the mask of Darth Vader. He wondered where his mother was. Luke walked around and found himself tracking the cold feeling despite his better judgment. He closed his eyes and released his fears and frustrations into the Force, until he felt a familiar force presence, although she couldn't use the Force, the Force could use her. He opened his eyes when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He could feel her aura. She was a beautiful person and the Force loved her. The Force had chosen her, for what he wasn't sure, but her beautiful aura was being tainted by darkness.

"Excuse me," came the soft voice. "I'm looking for my son, Luke...he goes by Skywalker, I'm afraid."

Luke turned around slowly noticing her softer features. She had hair and eyes the same shade and shape as his sisters. She was wearing a black dress, that hung loosely on her, suggesting it hadn't been made for her. "I am Luke Skywalker," he answered, looking at her carefully. "Who do I have the pleasure of being introduced to?" he asked, although he was certain that this woman was his mother, the wife of his father, the cause of his father's drunken state.

"I am your mother...Amidala," she stated. Luke again reached out with the Force, and felt something wrong with her. There was confusion within her. Luke took her hand in his and kissed it, a simple gesture, borne of respect and love. He watched as tears filled her eyes. "Were you treated badly?" she asked as the tears pooled together and gathered in her lashes before spilling down her cheeks.

"No," Luke answered thoughtfully. "My aunt and uncle were strict but good to me.

Of course, they had good reason to hide me from the Empire."

"The Empire?" Padme Amidala gasped. Then she smiled, of course Cos had told her he was the Emperor. Something about the word Empire sent shivers through her. She could remember vaguely being in the Senate box. What was it she had said? She looked at Luke, he didn't look anything like Cos, could Cos be his father? Luke looked older than Cos. She could remember sitting in her Senate box beside..someone and looking out, as the Empire was declared and the Senators were clapping! The end of peace, justice, and democracy and they were glad. "So this is how democracy ends with thunderous applause," she replied and everything started to spin as darkness claimed her. Luke picked her up, easily carrying her smaller frame, a frame he realized that he had inherited. He had to get her back to Valykino. Luke looked back at the Palace, the Emperor was there he was sure of it, but he could not fight him alone. How much danger would his mother be in? What did Palpatine have in plan for her? He felt a spike of fear in the force, but ignored it for now. He had to protect his mother.


	16. DS II

On Death Star II

Anakin Skywalker frowned as he felt the Emperor's rage. The bond that had been forged between the Emperor and himself in his moment of weakness was pulsing with life, with anger, with rage. The bond that had formed had been forged on Coruscent two decades before, had been painful, had been evil and just wrong, something he had been fighting against until he had been put in the Death Suit. It had been different than the slow gentle bond he had had with Obi-Wan, and at that moment his bond with Obi-Wan had broken, leaving him pained. The formation of his bond with the Emperor and the loss of his bond with Obi-Wan had made him feel light-headed.

How was it possible that the Emperor was still alive? Anakin remembered his final moments as Darth Vader. He remembered fighting with his son. He remembered probing his mind, finding out the existence of his sister. He remembered the hope that had flared within him even as Darth Vader had spoken of turning her. He remembered his son's rage, his embrace of the Dark Side, and he had been careful not to harm him, Darth Vader hadn't wanted a repeat of Bespin, no matter what it took he would not harm Padme's child. He had been taken aback and not entirely surprised when Luke had cut off his mechanical arm, and all but beat him. He was his son, Padme's son, and then he had rejected the dark side, and Anakin could feel himself awakening. He had heard the voices of Obi-Wan, and Padme, he had heard his own voice, and the voice of Ahsoka, even as he watched the agony of his son and felt out the Emperor's plan for them both.

Suddenly, Anakin Skywalker was himself, free of the grip of the Dark Side and the Emperor. He looked over at his son_._

"_Father, please_," he begged him and he heard Padme.

"_Anakin, please. You are a good man, don't do this_."

"_Anakin, the Chancellor is evil."_

The Emperor was evil, and Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One, he would not allow him to win, to cost him the last of his family. Suddenly, Anakin Skywalker was moving toward him using Vader's mechanical limbs he stepped closer to the reactor shaft of the Death Star. He would not lose Luke. Not when he could save him. He had failed to save so many in his life, but he would not fail, not this time, even if this was the very last act he performed, he would save his son. Even if he had failed with the boy's mother and grandmother, this child, this good being would not be destroyed. Not if there was something he could do, and there was. His son, Their son, would live.

"No, Vader, stop. I am your master!" the Emperor had cried out, while Anakin held him up and over.

"Vader's master, perhaps. But I am no longer Vader, I am Anakin Skywalker, and you are **NOT my** master. My master is dead, and my son is right. I am a Jedi," Anakin said as he dropped Vader's master down the shaft, here his scream of pain and agony. Anakin struggled to remain upright but failed, as he all but collapsed from the intensity of fighting against the Emperor's lightning. He knew that before this day the Emperor's goal had never been to destroy him but to convert him, to keep him loyal.

"Father!" He heard as he turned Vader's helmet toward the voice of his son.

"My son, are you alright?

"Father?"

"The lightning, it sometimes leaves lasting damage. I can use the Force to heal you but we must hurry," Anakin added. Before he realized the Death Star was falling apart. "It seems Palpatine was wrong about a great many things."

"Palpatine?"

"The Emperor, my shuttle is launched at the end of the hall, you shall take it. You must escape my son."

"I'm not leaving without you."

"You must. I will only slow you down," he added, before frowning. He had thought it was his time to die, but the Force had other plans for its son and grandson. Anakin nodded, and pressed a few buttons, before pulling him into oxygen filled mask, Anakin ejected himself from his life-supporting suit, and carrying himself on mechanical legs led the way, as his son stood by shocked for the moment but hurried after his father. Several times, Anakin thought he would die, that he hadn't the strength to make it, but his son dragged him along.

"Where will you go?" Anakin asked his son, "You require medical attention," he added, after entering the secure pass code for his TIE fighter.

"So do you?" Luke argued. "What happened?" he added, looking over at his father. It was the father from his dreams, and nightmares. Anakin Skywalker's blue eyes were but a reflection of his own, and the mechanical limbs did frighten him,

"Obi-Wan and Palpatine happened," Anakin replied. "Though it was my own fault, for failing, and for falling."

"What do you mean, Father?"

"We will speak of this later," Anakin replied, as he concentrated on the light side, **checking** for injury and making repairs. He felt his son's breathing ease. "You will always carry the lightning inside of you, but you will not suffer for it," Anakin concluded as he pressed a panel, and another Death Suit appeared.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Luke asked his father.

"I was a Jedi," Anakin added, slightly offended. "I may not have been the best apprentice but I learned well enough. Meditation as a Jedi was never easy. Son….I'm sorry," Anakin added before stepping back into the suit. "I need this suit to live, and you need to capture Darth Vader."

"No. Darth Vader is dead."

"I will always carry a piece of him inside me, there's no escaping that."

"But you have rejected the Dark Side?"

"Yes, I have. I never intended for…" Tears formed in Anakin's eyes, "I should have died on the Death Star," Anakin finished.

"Come on, Father, we will find a way. I can't lose you, not when I've just gotten you back." Anakin turned toward his son, as he hadn't put the mask on yet.

"No, my son. You must not fear loss; you must not repeat your father's mistakes. You are a far better Jedi than I ever was."

"Obi-Wan said you were a good friend."

"Perhaps, once. That day has long since past. He always said I would be the death of him, I doubt he meant to die by my hand," Anakin said sadly. "I wish things had been different."

"They will be," Luke replied and Anakin remembered him making sure Anakin could survive without the suit. Anakin shook his head clearing it of the memory as they entered the Naboo system.

"Snips, the Emperor is alive," he finally stated, and he watched as Rex grabbed her hand.

"We're with you, General Skywalker." Anakin reached out with the Force, wondering what to do about the reformation of the bond with the Emperor, and he could feel Padme. She was still on Naboo, but sleeping, something was different.

"Captain Piett," Anakin asked.

"Yes, Lord Vader."

"Piett, please it's Skywalker."

"Yes, Lord Skywalker," Piett replied.

Anakin sighed but landed at the Lake House in Valykino letting the feelings of Naboo wash over him. Padme was here. Anakin felt his heart beat with anticipation.

"Stop it, Skywalker. You're as nervous as a nest of Gundarks," he added before walking into the house.


	17. Chapter 17

Confessions

Padme Amidala Skywalker, the Former Queen and Senator of Naboo, flitted in and out of dreams, of memories. She looked across her in the bed, wondering about the missing appearance of her husband, and her child, the babies, what happened to them? Why had Anakin…fought with Obi-Wan. The memories hurt her head. There was good in Anakin, she could never had loved one so corrupt, he had to believe her. She looked around frantically for the Jedi Master. The last thing she remembered was giving birth to her children, to Luke and Leia Skywalker. They had been so small, so tiny, but where were they? Padme wondered how she had gotten here, at the Lake House. It was where she had planned to raise their child; she hadn't realized there would be two Skywalker babies. She half-laughed, half-sobbed as she got up and went into the room that she had intended to be the nursery. Where were her babies? Why weren't they crying for their mother? Oh, Anakin, she thought, what has become of us? She vaguely remembered telling Anakin that their love would destroy them, had it been prophetic. A memory seized her.

"_It's alright, Senator Amidala, you will be taken care of," a member of the Red Guard had said to her. She had struggled to sit up, to fight, to call out to Anakin or the Jedi Master but found herself paralyzed._

"_No, I have powerful friends, you cannot harm me without repercussions," she managed to say._

"_The Emperor has decided you are too dangerous to be left as you are. You are a danger to Lord Vader." She frowned, was he talking about Anakin? This was not the plan, she was supposed to fake her death and go into hiding until she could figure out a way to bring her husband back. _

"_Are you going to kill me?" she asked the man, who was clearly using the Force to incacipate her. _

"_No, you are to be kept safe, as a way to ensure Lord Vader's loyalty."_

"_Anakin will never be controlled by one so evil. Anakin's heart, his courage are too blinding to ever be controlled by the Son of a Sith Palpatine. He will fall."_

"_Not when he knows your location," the Red Guard added before carrying her off. She felt a syringe be injected and everything went dark. _

What had happened to her? What had happened to Anakin? Had Palpatine controlled him? They were always trying to use her against him. She wished fervently for her blaster, going back to the bedroom she found one that she hid in her robe. She walked around the gardens and saw a man already there. "Who are you and what do you want?" she asked, pointing the blaster at his back. "This is my home," she continued, "And I will not be made a hostage to be bartered, and you can tell that to your Emperor," she threatened. The man held up his hands and turned around. She searched his blue eyes looking for traces of evil, and finding none, she heard the clatter as the blaster dropped from her hands. One word fell from her lips, but that one word was enough to heal the man in front of her. "Ani?" she fell into his arms, touching his face, his arms, his hair, his chest. He was real, he was alive, and he was hers.

"Padme?" his voice croaked, questioning and searching. He held his mechanical hand under her chin forcing him to meet her eyes. His heart burst with love, with regret, with guilt. He would have stood there and let her shoot him, it was no less than he deserved. He didn't deserve her that was for sure, he deserved whatever pain she caused him, and yet she had run into his arms without another thought. She was excited to see him.

"Obi-Wan told me such terrible things," she whispered, sobbing against his chest, and clinging to him. Anakin froze at those words. Obi-Wan was dead. It was like Mustafar all over again. Anakin's mind was in a whirl, he wouldn't lie to her, he wasn't sure that he could. He met her eyes even with the guilt he felt. "He said that you turned to the Dark Side, that you killed younglings," and as before she was looking for him to deny it.

"Padme, let's go inside, we have a lot to talk about." She paused, confused, she looked into his blue eyes and saw the guilt they held.

"I think I would prefer to talk out here," she replied, stiffly as she stood next to him. She had stopped touching him but stayed close to his side. Anakin nodded just as stiffly and led them to the gazebo as he waited for her to sit. She held his hand and he sat as well.

"The things I'm about to tell you won't be easy for you to hear. They won't be easy for me to say. I have never lied to you, never tricked you. You are very strong-minded. I have helped you to develop shields around your mind, you know this to be true," he replied. "I love you, Padme, I have always loved you, and I always will. I'm lost without you," he told her, squeezing her hand and tracing the patterns of her hand with his own. It fit so right into his own flesh and blood hand.

"Anakin, you are a Jedi, you are a good man, a good person."

"I haven't always been. I don't know that I can be again, but I'm going to try," he stated, "I want to be a man that you deserve and I don't think I am, I know that I'm not. You've always been an angel to me, and I messed up, I listened to the wrong person, I thought what I was doing was right, that there was no other choice. I was wrong."

"We all make mistakes, Ani. To err is to be human."

"A Jedi cannot afford the same mistakes. To be a Jedi is to be better," Anakin replied as tears of regret filled his eyes. "Obi-Wan was right. I did turn to the Dark Side."

"No, Ani," she shook her head in disbelief. There is good in you, I can feel it," she touched her heart, "I feel it in here, and" she laid her hand on his heart, "And in here."

"You don't remember what happened on Mustafar?" he asked her, citing a planet that had always haunted him. She touched her neck, and nodded briefly.

"You were struggling with something…." She prompted.

"I discovered the Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord we had been searching for. He confessed to me. I was duty bound to report it to the Jedi Council," Anakin explained. "He told me he had the powers to **save** you…from my nightmares."

"Oh, Ani," she replied, running her hands through his hair. Anakin had noticed his son watching them, he knew with his Jedi hearing he could probably hear everything. He had probably either sensed his presence or sensed his emotions and come to check. Anakin raised an eyebrow at his son, and playfully poked him with the Force. "He told me about the Petition you signed. How everyone on that list would be executed."

"I should have told you," Padme said. "But Palpatine was your friend; I didn't want you to feel like I was forcing you to choose. You were already under so much strain, with me being pregnant, and with the assignment from the Jedi Council, I didn't want to add to it," she added. Anakin put his arms around here.

"Hey, **you** have nothing to apologize for, nothing to be sorry for. I won't hear of it," he declared, earning a smile from her. "The guilt belongs to me and me alone. A Jedi is not to feel fear. Here I was being hailed as the 'Hero with No Fear' and that's all I felt. He knew about our marriage. I drew my lightsaber against him. He told me he would keep you safe and that we would be able to save you," tears of regret fell from Anakin's eyes. "I should have known better, but I was so blinded. I hadn't been sleeping well, every time I closed my eyes, I saw you, in pain, calling for me, and Obi-Wan reassuring you. It got where I could see it while I was awake too."

"How long before you slept?"

"The night you told me you were pregnant," Anakin replied after a moment. He should have felt it but he didn't, she slapped him hard against the face.

"How could you? Did you have no concern for any of us? You know that no one can function without sleep for two weeks. Not sleeping impairs your decision making abilities, and your reasoning." Anakin blinked as he gazed at her. He had been out of his mind with worry and now she was blaming what he did on lack of sleep. "I knew something was wrong on Mustafar," she muttered to herself. "Why didn't Obi-Wan know?" Anakin wasn't sure.

"He knew I was stressed, he said as much before he left to destroy Grevious, but hey Padme, this is my fault not Obi-Wan's."

"Why didn't the Jedi know? I should have known," she said with a frown.

"This is not your fault, Padme, I accept full responsibility for ignoring the will of the Force and the consequences it caused. I found Master Windu and explained to him what the Chancellor had confessed. He ordered me to stay in the Council chambers; I should have listened to him. I was impulsive as ever, and I caused his death. He was about to execute the Chancellor and I couldn't let him die, not when he had the power to save you. I struck out at Master Windu."

"You murdered him?" Padme asked with gasp.

"I cut his hand off and Palpatine finished him off. I was so shocked, I didn't even remember activating my lightsaber," Anakin admitted. He had never admitted that to anyone. "Next thing I knew Master Windu was flying out the window, and I couldn't believe I had acted against a Jedi, I was in such turmoil. Palpatine….Sidious…he said they had been plotting against him. That together we would save you, that you would be safe from execution as well, that he wouldn't press charges, if I joined him. I had no choice, Padme. And then he formed this bond with me, it was searing and painful, I nearly couldn't think, the pain was so burning, and he destroyed my bond with Obi-Wan in the same instance. I don't remember much about what happened until you arrived on Mustafar," Anakin explained. "I know I was responsible for the death of the Jedi, for their extermination, it was me who led the Clones into the Temple. I slaughtered the younglings. Obi-Wan was right," Anakin explained, choking back his tears. Padme placed her arms around him and attempted to soothe him.

"Anakin, I love you, listen to me. I love you. I will not leave you, I will not abandon you," she told him doing her best to soothe him. Luke jogged over to his father.

"What happened?" Luke asked, "Is he alright?" Padme looked at the young man; something about him seemed very familiar.

"You're a Jedi?" she asked with suspicion in her voice.

"Yes, I am," Luke answered evenly. Anakin had passed out from the memories, from the guilt, from the hurt. She held him as he slumped against her. Padme reacted quickly; she threw her body over his.

"You will not hurt him," she stated, her eyes flashing hotly. "He is as innocent as any other Jedi. And I for one offer him amnesty for his actions. He deserves a fair trial, and he will get one," she stated, protecting her husband.

"I am not here to hurt him, I am his son, "Luke stated as he watched the fight go out of her. She didn't move from her position over his father, but she was no longer trying to protect him, and as he watched she seemed to grow whiter and whiter until she passed out, falling onto of his father. "Rex, Ahsoka, I'm going to need some help," he added, and he saw the worry on their faces as they approached him. Great, he thought, this day just kept getting better and better. Luke picked up the smaller form of his mother and left Rex and Ahsoka to carry his larger father.

"Leia's missing," Ahsoka stated softly. "When's the last time you saw her?"


	18. Out of a Dream

Out of a Dream

Anakin found himself in his old bed, in his old room on Naboo, in their old room. Anakin reached out with the Force, and he opened his eyes, feeling the familiar comforting presence of his wife. He looked down at the hair splayed across his chest, at the hand wrapped around his waist and he felt her eyes flutter open. He looked into them and tilted her chin up, as his lips met hers. Force, how he loved her, he thought as the passions rose between them, it was as if nothing had changed. As their lips parted he whispered into her ear, "Has a man ever been so blessed?"

She quickly sat on top of him and looked down at him, desire, love, trust, and lust in her gaze. He couldn't believe she could trust him after all that had transpired between them. She touched his naked chest, tweaking his nipples as a wave a pleasure shot through him. He wasn't a young man even though he had the appearance of one, all he knew was that he loved her and it had been so **long** since they had joined together in the most basic act between a man and a woman. Anakin reached up and lowered her nightgown exposing youthful breasts to his hungry eyes as his human hand grazed first one and then the other, she moaned in pleasure and Anakin smiled,

"Is there anyone else in the galaxy that can make you feel this way, Padme?" he asked, as he always had, his voice low and raw with need as he settled himself into a sitting position, bouncing her as he did so. He felt the familiar feeling of desperation settle upon him as he raised his lips to one nipple, darting his tongue around the small bud he found there as he teased and tormented it, earning small, mewing sounds from his wife.

Padme, unable to keep her head up allowed it to be thrown back as she was in the throes of passion, feeling his tongue teach her nubile breasts, she moaned, reaching out and grasping his hair, she pulled it closer to her body still. She couldn't get enough of her Jedi husband. Soon, his tongue traced a line down underneath her breast, and she reached around and freed his package from its restraints, inches and a few garments from her own body, she rubbed against him, knowing the power she held over the most powerful man in the galaxy.

"Padme," Anakin gasped as she rubbed against him, time and time again. "You will surely be the death of me." Anakin used the Force to tear her panties off and reaching behind her, he grabbed her body lowering her to a position where he could enter her, he knew as long as it had been, he wouldn't last long, it felt so good to be inside her to be with her again, he thought as he thrust into her, feeling a peace settle over him as she matched him, pushing back up against him, as he thrust out and back in, taking her deeper each time until not minutes later they both cried out and Anakin pulled her to him as she sank against his chest, wearily. They stayed like that joined, as their breathing evened out.

Anakin kissed the top of her head as she moved, making herself more comfortable as he readjusted his clothing. He held her to him, marveling at the fact that she was alive, and that she was his. "I'm sorry," Anakin whispered, when he could find his voice. He used the Force to cover her, before he reached for her hand and he stood, leading her to the Fresher. There were many things he had missed about his marriage but being this close to her was probably way up on the list. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "For a great many things. That it was so short," he told her, "but mostly because I messed up so many things. I should have left the Order, or at least admitted that we were married and expecting," he said as he drew her a bath, manipulating the temperature as she stood there, looking down at him on his knees. Anakin grinned wickedly as he grabbed her hips, holding them in front of him.

Padme marveled at her husband's moods, one moment he was apologizing and the next his tongue was moving between her creamy thighs, lifting her up with the Force as he spread her lips, before bringing her down to the tile on the hard floor. He moved back, looking down at her. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, seemingly choked. "I can't believe I gave all this up, I must have been mad to do so." He reached his hand between her thighs and touched her intimately, before his mouth followed the same path. She felt the wet tip of his tongue enter her as he used it in ways in which she had no words for, only feelings, as an orgasm wracked through her leaving her needy, and yet feeling peaceful. "I'm going to make it up to you, even if I have to spend the rest of my life bringing you pleasure."

"Oh Anakin, how I love you," she said as he scooped her up and placed her in the bathtub. He searched for a towel and washcloth and brought them with him, as he smiled.

"I love you, Padme. You are my reason for being, for living, for breathing; I would do anything for you Padme."

"Just be yourself," she replied bringing her lips to his as he washed her back. She moaned, in relaxation, in joy at the feel of him as he washed her body cleaning her, as she grabbed his hands. "Anakin, my love," she looked into his blue eyes. "I feel like I'm dreaming, being here in your arms, it feels too good to be true."

"I'm real," he said, trailing kissing over her neck, "I'm only too flawed, too real, flesh and blood. I'm no saint, not even close. I'm not the hero the holonews made me out to be. I am only too flawed," he said as he brought the washcloth up to her breasts and inhaled her scent. "You smell good enough to eat," he whispered.

"You've already done that," she replied earning a chuckle from him.

"So I have, my love." He nuzzled his face in his neck as he took off his own clothes joining her in the bath. "You make me want to reach for the stars, Padme, as if my time as Vader was only a distant dream," he replied settling himself into the water. She smiled deliciously as she crept toward him her face grazing his thigh as she sprang into action, taking his life-giving member in her mouth, she sucked running her tongue over the tip, as she listened for his groan of pleasure. She ran her tongue in different patterns alternating between the tip and the shaft, as she felt him get harder within her mouth. She heard his breathing hitch as she closed her eyes, enjoying the taste and texture of her husband, as she reached out with her hand and cupped her balls, feeling the warm water on them as they tightened, she sucked harder making her cheeks indent.

"For Force sake, Padme. Oh, SITH," she heard him scream as she felt him spill forth within her, she swallowed at the salty seed that had given her her children, and when she opened her eyes, she licked the bit that had spewed on her mouth, swallowing the tangy liquid with relish. She felt his hand in her hair and saw the glazed look in her eyes. He was on cloud nine, and so was she. She wished they could spend all day in bed, but sooner or later they would have to come out, but they had always used all the time together to express how they loved. Anakin touched her face and a feeling of tenderness spread through her more powerful than the lust she felt for her husband.

"I will never leave you, Anakin," she told him as she kissed him, wrapping her legs around him as she waited for him to recover, she began kissing his neck, his check, tickling his nipples with her tongue. It was as if he were a drug for her that she could never get enough, that she could never have her feel of. Moments later, she felt him harder between her legs as he reached down between her and began rubbing her, a horse laughter feeling the air as he stuck his fingers in her and she heard and felt the wet noise accompanying them, as he worked his fingers in and out, reaching forward with his mechanical hand as he vibrated her clit.

"Oh, oh," she moaned, losing herself in the feeling of ecstasy, she had almost forgotten the special modifications Anakin had made to his mechanical hand, the different groves and pistons that attached to the fingers of his golden arm. Then his human hand moved to hold her hips as his fingers were replaced with a larger organ, and he grabbed her, standing up and placing her between him and the wall. He removed his other hand, holding her hips firmly as he pushed into her, coming out nearly all the way, only to join her again. In, out, in, out, each wave bringing her more and more pleasure, fueling her passions, in ways she couldn't remember feeling before. She met him breathe for breath, thrust for thrust, heartbeat for heartbeat, and they were one.

Hours' later, Anakin helped her dress into a black corset gown remincent of the gown she had worn when they first confessed their love.

"What time is it?" she asked Anakin

"About 1500 standard hours, give or take an hour or two," he told her, and she could hardly believe she had let the day get away from her. Anakin rose from the bed as naked as the day he was born as he helped her dress.

"This has always been one of my favorites," he told her, nuzzling her neck as he helped her with her stays, and laced up the corset. "Lift your legs," he told her, helping her into her gown. "You look beautiful," he told her. "I don't know if I'll be able to keep my hands off of you during dinner," he told her. "But, alas, our younglings await." He found himself sifting through the garments here for some of his old Jedi garb that still fit to a tee. "I'll see if I can find your handmaidens, I can't always be here to help you dress," he told her. Once he was dressed, he returned to the room and fastened on his belt, clipping his lightsaber to it. Then, he began lacing his boots that needed a good polish. It was all he had, and he would rather look like a Jedi than a Sith. Anakin and Padme held hands as they entered the dining room, and Anakin saw that Luke's face was beat-red. Anakin shot him a questioning look, as he looked over their guests. Ahsoka and Rex were there, Han and Chewie, Artoo and Three-pio, but where was Leia. Three-pio was serving dinner, not that Anakin cared what it was. Even Lando was there. Lando was extremely nervous in his presence even though he clearly noticed the satisfied look, he could feel it. But there was something wrong. "Where is my daughter?" Anakin asked, gripping Padme's hand.

"I was going to tell you earlier, Dad, but I didn't want to interrupt," Luke began. "Leia's been missing for a few days. We were waiting on your brilliant plan. She's not on Naboo, we've already looked," Luke began.

"Why wait on me? Didn't you devise a plan to save Han from Jabba the Hutt?" Anakin asked him, angry that instead of looking for her, they had waited on him. "And didn't you devise a plan to save them on Cloud City? And destroy the Death Star on Yavin? And detroy the Emperor on Endor?" Anakin asked his son, firing the questions rapidly one after the other.

"Yes, Dad, but …you are a cunning warrior."

"It matters not," Anakin said. He knew what he had to do. He smiled at his wife. "Padme, continue without me, there are some contacts I need to make," Anakin replied, standing up and going to the room he had used as an office. He contacted Jix.

"Hey, Uncle D,"

"Cut the crap, nephew," he told him. "I have an important mission for you." Anakin waited until Jix became serious. "My daughter, Princess Leia Amidala Skywalker Organa of Alderaan is missing. I need her found. I doubt I need to explain the sereiousness of this matter to you, Jix?" Anakin asked, monitoring the secure channel. He couldn't afford any interference. It wasn't a well-known fact but Jix was in fact his nephew by marriage, he was the only son of Sola and Darred Naberrie, although he went by another name much like his wife.

Wrenga Jixron Naberrie although he preferred to be called Jix, all but he and Jix's parents were ignorant of the relationship. He would tell Luke and Leia when he returned. It was why he had spared Jix when he had failed to obey his orders which had come from the Emperor to exterminate the Falleen, and had only court-martialed him, seeing to his escape. He had had to keep their relationship secret of see him die, and Anakin even as Vader couldn't bare to see another piece of Padme die. When the mission was complete he would tell both Jix and his family the truth. "Will do," Jix replied. "And Uncle D, it's nice to see your face for one," he replied.

"Anakin Skywalker, I was Anakin Skywalker before I became Darth Vader, I apologise for taking so long to contact me."

"That's alright, Uncle D, I figured you would when you needed me," he replied cheekily. "You can count on me, I will find Leia," he said as he ended the transmission. Anakin swooped down in his chair, earning himself a rest, as he trusted Jix to find his daughter. Some time later he found himself being awakened by his son.

"Dad, Dad," Luke said, shaking him slightly. Anakin squinted against the bright light, and the aura of his presence.

"Five more minutes, Obi-Wan," Anakin mummered, not fully awake, "The war will still be there without us."

"Dad, it's me, Luke," he heard the soft voice. Anakin rubbed his face, as he squinted as his son.

"Luke…." He whispered, "What time is it?"

Luke looked around for a chrono, "A little after 1900," he replied.

"Where's your mother?" Anakin asked.

"Sleeping, and I understand why. She just broke free of Palpatine, don't you think you should take it easy on her?" he asked, and Anakin narrowed his eyes, he couldn't be talking about what Anakin thought he was talking about, could he? Anakin was about to protest and tell him he couldn't wouldn't hurt her, but he didn't have the right to say that because he had. Anakin's open mouth snapped closed.

"She's my wife," Anakin growled, instead.

"Be that as it may be, do you remember the talk we had about a force shields," Luke asked and Anakin nodded understanding coming into his eyes.

"I didn't….you didn't?" Anakin asked. Anakin noticed his son's blush. "I'm sorry, son. After the Jedi Order fell, I didn't have to shield as much," Anakin explained. How could he explain that he had just forgotten, it had been so long, but for Luke to have experienced through their force bond what Anakin had been feeling, he felt ashamed. He was just glad Leia hadn't been here, it was embarrassing, he couldn't believe he had forgotten to shield. "It had been a long time," Anakin explained sheepishly, "It was hard for me to shield properly before and now…it was impossiple, but since I'm aware of it, it won't happen again," Anakin apolgised.

"I never dreamed such love could exist, I mean I know what I feel through my bond with Leia," Luke admitted.

"For the smuggler?" Anakin asked, he would have to have another talk with the smuggler. "He's not good enough for her."

"That's what I thought, at first, but he's proven to be worthy," Luke said and Anakin grunted.

"Some day, Luke, when you least expect it, it's going to hit you. I knew the moment I met your mother that she was going to be my wife, a little ambitious considering how we met," Anakin said with a shrug. "Of course, it was ten years before I saw her again. Even with me sneaking out of the Temple, I didn't see her even though we were both on Coruscent," Anakin admitted. "I drove Master Obi-Wan nuts sneaking out of the Temple," Anakin admitted. "I was his responsibility, and I'm sure Obi-Wan regretted that Qui-Gon had had my tracking device disabled," he said, with a laugh, remembering how he had snuck out to the Undercity of Tattooine to podrace. "Master Obi-Wan and I had just returned from a dispute on Anison," Anakin smiled at the memory. "He fell into a nest of gundarks, and I had to jump in after him to save him," Anakin said.

"The Great and Mighty Darth Vader saves a Jedi," Luke laughed, holding up the headlines.

"I wasn't always Darth Vader, Obi-Wan and I were more than just padawan and master, we became friends during the war. We were there at the start of the Clone Wars, in a way you might say the Negotiator caused the Clone Wars, that was one of the most terrifying and wonderful days of my life."

"Wonderful?" Luke asked, wondering how the start of the war could be wonderful to a man who had once been a Jedi.

"It was the day your mother first admitted her feelings for me," Anakin replied, and Luke waited then frowned as he realized Anakin had told him all that he was going to tell him. "Well, it's past your bedtime, I suggest you get some sleep, young one," Anakin said, leading him to the room that was Luke's. Anakin hugged him, tightly. Luke was his son, his flesh and blood, proof that something wonderful had come from Anakin Skywalker.


End file.
